Paeonia lactiflora Edulis Superba

Paeonia lactiflora 'Edulis Superba' is a peony dating back to 1824 that perfectly expresses the charm of old-fashioned varieties. Its anemone-type flower, well double and of medium size, exhibits a fresh, vibrant and bright pink colour, which enriches at the heart with lighter, almost silvery nuances, but also with petals washed with red-pink. Early and remarkably fragrant, it offers an abundance of flowers from the beginning of May, above a clump of luxuriant foliage that often takes on beautiful shades at the end of the season. This great classic has crossed the ages without aging, and now finds its way back to our flowerbeds, to the delight of enthusiasts of plants that are superb but easy to grow. Its flowers, magnificent in the garden, are likewise sublime in bouquets.

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.

The variety Edulis Superba is a cultivar obtained in 1824 by Lemon and is well adapted to heavy soils. From spring onwards the plant forms an herbaceous and bushy clump that can reach 90 cm (35in) in height and 75-80 cm (30-32in) in spread. Its 13-14 cm (5-6in) diameter flowers, very double, appear early in the season and bloom profusely for 7 to 10 days. They emerge as a large pink bud, then bloom into a skillfully disordered pompom surrounded by a collar of wider petals. The scent is very noticeable in this variety. The young purple and shiny foliage unfolds 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. 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.

Peonies are among those plants that form the foundation 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. The Chinese peony Edulis Superba, romantic and fragrant, thrives in flowerbeds or alongside pathways, in combination with timeless perennials such as columbines, bellflowers, foxgloves, bearded irises, 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.