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Paeonia lutea Alice Harding - Tree Peony

Paeonia x lutea Alice Harding
Tree Peony

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An old hybrid with a slightly lignified but dense shrubby vegetation. The light green foliage is covered with beautiful double flowers, slightly scented, light yellow and bright. Always highly appreciated for its robustness, this peony thrives in any good garden soil, even limestone and fairly dry in summer, and in a sunny but not scorching location, sheltered from the wind.
Flower size
13 cm
Height at maturity
80 cm
Spread at maturity
80 cm
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -20°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November
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Flowering time May to June
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Description

Paeonia 'Alice Harding' is an old French hybrid peony that is semi-shrub. It is a robust and accommodating hybrid, with a rather fast growth for a shrubby peony, featuring a late double flowering with a subtle lemony scent, and a light and pure yellow colour. Although not very tall, the shrub is vigorous and adorned with lush foliage in a beautiful apple green colour. Hardy and easy to grow in any good garden soil, it will live for many years without requiring much care, after careful planting. A mature shrubby peony needs no description, it is simply admired, either in isolation or in the foreground of a shrub border.

 

Peony 'Alice Harding' is one of the first yellow-flowered varieties. It carries the genes of Paeonia delavayi var. lutea, endemic to the undergrowth of southwest China, less demanding than other shrubby peonies but also slightly less hardy. Its other parent is P. lactiflora 'Kinko', a herbaceous and perennial peony variety obtained in Japan. These two peonies from the Far East are very cold-resistant. They belong to the buttercup family. 'Alice Harding' forms a slightly branching shrub, with slightly woody stems and a rounded habit, usually reaching 80 cm (32in) in all directions. The short and erect branches bear deciduous leaves, which appear in spring and fall in autumn. They are divided into long lanceolate leaflets, very smooth, strongly veined, reddish when buds burst open and quickly becoming light green on the upper side, bluish green underneath. The autumn colours are often very beautiful, before the leaves fall.

The flowers last for 3 weeks in May-June, it is one of the last shrubby peonies to bloom in the garden. A 3-year-old plant will bear a single flower, then more and more over time. A 20-year-old plant will have about fifty very large solitary buds, green and round from the end of winter at the tip of the new shoots. They then open into magnificent double to semi-double corollas measuring 12 to 14 cm (5 to 6in) in diameter, pendulous, hanging above the foliage. The multiple light lemon yellow petals, with a barely visible red base, surround a centre occupied by golden yellow stamens, hidden in all their frills but still visible at the end of flowering. Their very sweet fragrance, reminiscent of lilies, reveals citrus notes.

 

The shrub peony is not a plant for impatient gardeners. It takes its time, but the years of patience are rewarded with the fabulous spectacle created by this opulent shrub laden with enormous flowers in spring.  In the garden, peony 'Alice Harding' should preferably be planted a little higher to be able to admire its trailing flowers. Plant it, for example, in a raised bed against a wall, in front of a hedge, or in a large pot on the wall that borders the terrace. Always choose a location sheltered from the wind, airy, and bright. Its yellow flowers will be enhanced by those of other white, red (Paeonia tenuifolia), or orange peonies, as well as English roses in salmon tones (Grace, Lady of Shalott). This variety also pairs well with other perennials such as blue irises, bellflowers, or catmints.

Paeonia lutea Alice Harding - Tree Peony in pictures

Paeonia lutea Alice Harding - Tree Peony (Flowering) Flowering
Paeonia lutea Alice Harding - Tree Peony (Foliage) Foliage

Flowering

Flower colour yellow
Flowering time May to June
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 13 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, Sweet lemony fragrance.
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 80 cm
Spread at maturity 80 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Paeonia

Species

x lutea

Cultivar

Alice Harding

Family

Ranunculaceae

Other common names

Tree Peony

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference854241

Planting and care

Plant Peony 'Alice Harding' in partial shade, 6 hours of sun per day are necessary to obtain a beautiful flowering. Morning sun is appreciated, while scorching situations should be avoided. From September to May, except during freezing periods, plant it in a fertile and deep soil, slightly acidic, neutral or even slightly calcareous, moist but well-drained to prevent the roots from rotting. Once well established in deep soil, the tree peony does not require watering in summer in all our regions, especially early spring-blooming varieties. Its cold resistance is excellent, but the flower buds can be damaged by strong or dry and cold winds.

Easy to grow, shrubby peonies require little maintenance but deserve careful planting. During planting, dig a large hole 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) deep and at least as wide. Fill it with a mixture of garden soil, leaf compost, and river sand or gravel if your soil is very heavy and compact. Add crushed horn, bone meal, and dried blood in the bottom of the planting hole. Do not plant the plants too close together for good aeration. The shrubby peony fears competition from the roots of other plants, so allow for a spacing of 1 m (3ft) with its neighbors. The graft should be buried about twenty centimeters deep so that the plant gradually becomes independent of its rootstock. Watering should be abundant but spaced 8 to 5 days apart in the first two years, from March to September. Peonies have a reputation for being homebodies. That's why they should not be moved after planting. Avoid pruning unless the base of the plant becomes bare. If that's the case, prune at the level of the shoots from the base. Provide a support stake to support the flower stems and remove faded flowers during the season.

6
19,50 €
16
14,50 € Each

Planting period

Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Free-standing, Container
Hardiness Hardy down to -20°C (USDA zone 6b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Ordinary but well-drained and fertile soil.

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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