Paeonia lactiflora Louis van Houtte

Since the enormous, frilly flowers to the simple and modest corollas, illuminated by a bouquet of golden-yellow stamens, the charm of peonies is undeniable. Even a novice can recognise a peony at first glance with its broadly cut leaves and exceptionally large flowers in shades of pink, white, red, or salmon. It's no wonder they are nicknamed "the queen of gardens"! <strong>The genus is being renewed with new creations featuring sturdier stems,</strong> unprecedented shades, brighter and even fluorescent, <strong>foliage that lasts longer, and an extended flowering period</strong> spanning from mid-April to mid-June, <strong>along with greater ease of cultivation</strong>. <img class="size-full wp-image-56587 aligncenter" src="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/pivoine2.jpg" alt="paeonia" width="1172" height="780" /> Today, we can indeed distinguish three categories of <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/perennials/perennials-by-variety/paeonia-peonies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peonies</a>: <ul> <li><strong>herbaceous, very hardy</strong> and disappearing in winter,</li> <li><strong>shrubby, gradually forming a bush</strong> 1 to 2-3 m high, with large flowers,</li> <li><strong>Itoh peonies</strong><a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/perennials/perennials-by-variety/paeonia-peonies/itoh-peonies-intersectional-peonies.html"><strong> </strong></a>, hybrids between a herbaceous peony and a shrubby peony. The latter behave like very hardy perennials that disappear in winter and, like the shrubby types, boast large flowers in quite unique shades of peach, cinnamon, apricot, or canary, with finely cut leaves supported by sturdy stems that do not require staking.</li> </ul> <strong>In the garden, peonies prefer open but not overly hot spots and are extremely hardy</strong>, particularly the herbaceous peony, which can withstand temperatures below -50°C<strong>! It prefers heavy, rich, cool but well-drained and slightly calcareous soils</strong>, <strong>while the shrubby peony favours humus-rich, light, rich, and cool soils</strong>. Itoh hybrids are also very hardy, simply wary of waterlogged soils, appreciate partial shade, and possess robust stems that do not bend under the weight of the flowers.