Paeonia lactiflora Claire de Lune

The 'Claire de Lune' Peony is an old herbaceous variety, highly sought after for the exceptional pale yellow colour of its large moon-like flowers. Each corolla, well open around a large golden heart, displays a double row of firm and rounded petals, barely touched with creamy yellow on a white background. They bloom very early in the season, adorning distinctive and dense foliage, instantly recognisable. This very vigorous variety will develop over the years into a unique and magnificent plant.

Obtained in 1954 in England by White - Wild & Son, the Claire de Lune peony is the only descendant of the hybridization attempted between P. lactiflora, native to China, and P. mlokosewirschi, a large herbaceous Caucasian peony with yellow flowers. This plant belongs to the Ranunculaceae or Paeoniaceae family. 'Claire de Lune', a little slow to establish like all peonies, will eventually form large bushy clumps, herbaceous and leafy, reaching 85 cm (34in) to 1 m (3ft) in all directions. It can live for many years. Its large delicately scented flowers, 12 to 14 cm (5 to 6in) in diameter, appear in early May and last for about two weeks. They emerge in the form of a large rounded bud, then open into wide corollas with 10 pleated petals on the edge, washed with very pale lemon yellow, with a reverse tinted with pink-red. The very large centre of the flower shows carpels tinged with pink and golden yellow stamens. The vegetative growth of this variety is vigorous. The young purple and shiny foliage unfolds into large dark green leaves often tinged with purple, deeply lobed. They are carried on a petiole that divides into 3, with lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate segments. The leaflets are entire or sometimes lobed. They disappear in winter, while the buds that will develop in spring persist at ground level. This long-lived perennial plant grows from a large fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved. This hybrid is a fertile plant.

Peonies are among those plants that form the foundations of a garden. In the past every garden, from the humblest to the most elaborate, proudly displayed clumps of peonies that made their way into the house, keeping lilacs and bluebells company in bouquets. Opulent and unique, the hybrid peony Claire de Lune settles in flowerbeds or alongside pathways, associated with timeless perennials such as columbines, campanulas, tulips, carnations, or Christmas roses. It can also be grown in the vegetable garden to supply cut flowers for the house. Growing it in a pot is not recommended, as its needs will not be met. Over time, the peony becomes majestic and blooms more and more abundantly, producing up to 60 flowers.