Paeonia lactiflora Coral Magic

The Coral Magic Peony (Paeonia x lactiflora) is a new addition to the range of herbaceous peonies in a coral colour, offering abundant, attractive, and very bright flowering. It is an early flowering variety that produces many large semi-double flowers in coral pink, that resist fading. Easy to grow in all regions, Chinese Peonies thrive in loose and rather moist soil, in the sun. Robust and faithful, they sometimes take a little time to establish themselves, but they grow year after year and can live for more than 50 years. Surviving passing trends and the whims of time, whether in bouquets or in the garden, peony flowers are vibrant, elegant, and enticing, enhanced by a gentle and light fragrance.

Chinese herbaceous peonies are mainly derived from Paeonia lactiflora, a perennial herbaceous plant native to central and eastern Asia (from eastern Tibet, northern China, to eastern Siberia), where it naturally grows in woods and meadows. This plant belongs to the Ranunculaceae or Paeoniaceae family. Herbaceous Peonies, perennial by virtue of their roots, form a clump of foliage that completely disappears in winter.

The Coral Magic Chinese Peony was obtained by Carl G. Klehm in 1998 in Illinois (United States). The plant forms an herbaceous and bushy clump from spring onwards, moderately dense, reaching 90 cm (35in) in all directions. Its large semi-double flowers, 16 to 18 cm (6 to 7in) in diameter, appear in May-June, earlier or later depending on the climate, and last for about three weeks. They bloom at the end of the stems, but also from some secondary buds. They emerge as a large pinkish-red bud and then open up into a pompom of coral pink petals, arranged in three rows, surrounding a centre filled with golden yellow stamens, with a mild fragrance. The vegetation of this variety is good and it has remarkable longevity. The young foliage is purple and shiny, unfolding into large, dark green, deeply cut leaves. They are borne on a petiole that divides into 3, with lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate segments. The leaflets are either entire or sometimes lobed. The vegetation disappears in winter, while the buds persist at ground level and will develop again in spring. This long-lived perennial plant grows from a large fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved.

Chinese Peonies are among those plants that form the foundations of a garden. The peony thrives in borders or alongside pathways, combined with timeless and unpretentious perennials such as Irises, Columbines, bellflowers, perennial geraniums, carnations or Christmas roses. It can also be grown in the vegetable garden to supply cut flowers for the house. Pot cultivation is not recommended, as its needs will not be met. Over time peonies becomes majestic and bloom ever more abundantly, producing up to 60 flowers. By combining different varieties with staggered flowering, it is possible to have blooms for 6 weeks from spring to early summer. By combining different varieties with staggered flowering times, it is possible to have flowers for 6 weeks from spring to early summer.