Paeonia x lactiflora Corinne Wersan - Chinese Peony

The Paeonia lactiflora 'Corinne Wersan' is an old mid-season variety that is as delightful in the garden as it is in bouquets. Its large double flowers are pale pink cups illuminated by a large heart of small white petals with a slightly sulphuric base. This blooming is carried by sturdy and robust stems that do not require staking.

Chinese peonies are herbaceous perennial plants mainly derived from Paeonia lactiflora, a species native to central and eastern Asia (from eastern Tibet and northern China to eastern Siberia). In nature, this peony grows in woods and meadows. This plant belongs to the peony family.

The 'Corinne Wersan' peony was obtained in the United States in 1955 by Willam Krekler. It forms a fairly compact clump of vegetation from spring onwards, not exceeding 75 cm in height. Its beautiful flowers, 15 to 16 cm in diameter, bloom for about three weeks, in the middle of the peony season, between May and June depending on the climate. They emerge as large round buds and then open into double cups. The outer part of the corolla consists of large petals ranging from pale pink to white. They surround multiple shorter petals, white with a very pale yellow base, slightly curved towards the centre. Some flowers have slight red streaks or a few white stamens. The young spring shoots are purple and shiny. The foliage consists of large, dark green, dissected leaves. This beautiful vegetation disappears in winter, while the buds that will develop in spring persist at ground level. The herbaceous peony, very long-lived, grows from a large fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved.

Peonies are among those plants that form the basis of a garden. In the past, every garden, from the humblest to the most elaborate, displayed clumps covered with flowers that made their way into the house, keeping company in every bouquet with German irises, lilacs, and blue campanulas. The 'Corinne Wersan' peony can be used in borders or along a path. It can be associated with long-flowering perennial geraniums, delphiniums, and catnips, for example. It will also increase the supply of flowers for bouquets in the vegetable garden. Growing in pots 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.