Paeonia lactiflora Gardenia

Paeonia lactiflora Gardenia is a Chinese or herbaceous Peony that stands out for its generous, extended flowering in a sparkling white colour, particularly fragrant. It is a late variety that produces many large double flowers with slightly ruffled white petals tinged with pale pink, turning pure white. They emit a beautiful sweet fragrance with notes of rose. Robust and faithful, peonies sometimes take a little time to establish themselves, but they grow year after year and can live for more than 50 years.

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

The Gardenia Chinese Peony was obtained by Lins in Minnesota (United States) in 1949. From spring onwards the plant forms a compact and bushy herbaceous clump, reaching up to 80 cm (32in) in all directions. Its large flowers, double, 16 to 18 cm (6 to 7in) in diameter, appear rather late in June, depending on the climate, and last for about three weeks. They bloom at the end of the stems, but also from a few secondary buds. They are born as a large white bud, then open up into a large dense pompom, double, with slightly ruffled white petals tinged with pale pink, occasionally with yellow stamens visible in the centre. The growth of this variety is good and it has remarkable longevity. The young foliage is purple and shiny, unfolding into large, dark green, highly dissected leaves. They are carried on a petiole that divides into 3, with lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate segments. The leaflets are entire or sometimes lobed. The vegetation disappears in winter, while the buds persist at ground level and will develop 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.