Paeonia lactiflora Blush Queen - Chinese peony

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Blush Queen’ is an old herbaceous peony still sought after for its large double flowers, in cream white with a slight pink tinge, its delicate fragrance and its good performance in the garden as well as in a vase. It is a graceful variety, suitable for flower arrangements and decorative in perennial borders. Its spring flowering is rather late, even mid-season, depending on the climate and exposure.

This variety belongs to the Paeoniaceae family. The wild species Paeonia lactiflora, Chinese peony or herbaceous peony, is a deciduous perennial with fleshy roots. In the wild, it is found in temperate Asia, from south-eastern Siberia to Mongolia, then north and east China. It occurs in meadows, on open slopes, in clear forest edges or on well-drained stony ground.

‘Blush Queen’ was raised by Hoogendoorn, in the Netherlands, in 1949. It belongs to the Lactiflora group. The plant forms an erect, dense, regular clump, about 90cm tall and 70 to 90cm wide. Its growth is rather slow, especially when establishing. It takes its time, then becomes very long-lasting. The young shoots emerge in spring, tinged with red. The foliage is bright green, divided into ovate to lanceolate leaflets. As with all herbaceous peonies, the aerial growth disappears in winter; the crown remains dormant underground and resprouts the following spring. Flowering occurs between late May and June depending on the climate. It is classified among the mid-season varieties in the American Peony Society register, but some European growers list it as a late variety. The fully double, large, globose, rather tall and slightly irregular flowers measure 14 to 20cm in diameter. The petals are cream white, with pale yellow highlights and a pinkish touch in the centre. The fragrance is pronounced. The stems are erect and fairly sturdy. Once well established, this plant does not like to be moved.
The species Paeonia lactiflora has been cultivated in China for centuries, first for medicinal uses, then for ornament.

Peony ‘Blush Queen’ will be appreciated in the garden as well as spring bouquets. Plant it in the middle of a romantic flower bed, in full sun or partial shade in the afternoon. It can be paired with the darker peony ‘Dr Alexander Fleming’, German iris ‘Flamant Rose’ with large powder pink flowers, the dwarf rose ‘Bordure Vive’, bright pink and very early, and hardy geranium ‘Ballerina’, pink veined with purple, which links all its companions together.
Our secret for cut flower arrangements: cut your peonies at daybreak when the buds start to colour. Do not delay putting them in water.