Paeonia x Itoh Scrumdidleyumptious - Intersectional Peony

The Paeonia itoh 'Scrumdidleyumptious' is a hybrid peony that combines the best qualities of herbaceous and shrub peonies. This variety is sought after for its large, shimmering semi-double to double flowers, and its foliage that remains beautiful until autumn. Very decorative in late spring, this peony is an excellent plant for borders, hardy and robust. It blooms for a long time, starting from mid-May, on particularly lush and decorative foliage.

This 'Scrumdidleyumptious' hybrid herbaceous peony belongs, like its two parents, to the paeoniaceae family. Itoh peonies are the result of the work carried out by the Japanese breeder Toichi Itoh, starting in 1948, who gave them his name. These plants, referred to as intersectional hybrids, are exceptional perennials that combine the vigor of herbaceous peonies with all the splendour of shrub peonies, both in terms of foliage and flowering.

The Paeonia itoh 'Scrumdidleyumptious' is the result of a cross between the herbaceous peony lactiflora 'Martha W.' and the shrub peony 'Golden Era'. This cultivar was obtained in the United States in 2002 by Smith. Its growth is rather slow, but faster than that of shrub peonies. Reaching a height of 75-80 cm, this peony has an upright habit with slightly arched stems. Its semi-double to double flowers have between 30 and 50 petals and measure up to 15 cm in diameter. They are a light cream yellow, delicately edged with coral pink, and appear from May onwards. These flowers emit a sweet and pleasant fragrance. Each stem can carry 2 to 3 buds, with additional lateral buds, extending the flowering period to two and a half weeks. Flowers of different shades are sometimes observed on the same plant, which can produce up to 50 flowers during the season. The centre of each corolla is occupied by golden yellow stamens, providing a nice contrast. The dark green foliage is disease-resistant and remains attractive until autumn. The vegetation disappears in winter, with buds remaining below the soil surface.

The Paeonia itoh 'Scrumdidleyumptious' is planted in a sunny border, but not in an excessively hot location. It pairs particularly well with white roses, blue delphiniums, lavenders, and tall bearded irises. It is an exceptional plant that deserves a prime location. It is often planted in groups of 3 specimens in a shrub or perennial border. Among the small shrubs that harmonise well with this 'Scrumdidleyumptious' itoh peony, we can mention Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko', Spiraea arguta or Physocarpus opulifolius 'Magic Ball'.