Paeonia x lactiflora Puffed Cotton - Chinese Peony

The Peony or Paeonia lactiflora 'Puffed Cotton' is an American variety selected for its enormous, fully double, white flowers, warmed by a soft cream glow in the centre. Appreciated for its beauty and robustness, this selection will charm in the garden as well as in a vase. It is chosen for the beautiful presentation of its flowers, which gather in groups of 2 or 3 on each stem. 'Puffed Cotton', which is reminiscent of the peony 'Duchesse de Nemours', blooms a little later, in the middle of peony season. It is a reliable variety that blooms abundantly every year.

Herbaceous and hybrid peonies are mainly derived from Paeonia lactiflora, a perennial 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 now belongs to the peony family. Its deciduous foliage emerges in spring and disappears in autumn. It grows from a large, fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved.

The Paeonia lactiflora 'Puffed Cotton' was obtained by William H. Krekler (U.S.A) in 2003. This peony has an upright habit and reaches a height of 85 cm at maturity. Its flowers are among the largest observed to date in white double peonies, with a diameter of 20 to 25 cm. The plant develops sturdy stems that support the weight of the fully open flowers, each with two or three closely spaced buds. The foliage, a shiny green, forms a beautiful backdrop for the flowering. The flowering of Paeonia lactiflora 'Puffed Cotton' takes place in the middle of the herbaceous peony season, in May-June, depending on the climate. The growth of this variety is good, and its foliage is very healthy.

Paeonia lactiflora 'Puffed Cotton' is a beautiful perennial for borders and beds, and it will provide beautiful slightly fragrant flowers for festive tables. Elegant and graceful, it pairs well with English shrub roses, pink foxgloves, German iris, and perennial geraniums such as 'Rozanne'. The combination of this 'Puffed Cotton' peony with classic English roses will benefit from the presence of foxgloves, which add verticality to the scene. The iris offer a rich palette of colours and foliage with a different texture, while perennial geraniums fill the spaces between plants with their dense foliage and small colourful flowers.