PAEONIA lactiflora 'Nippon Beauty'

Description

Paeonia lactiflora 'Nippon Beauty'

Height x Spread 75cm x 60cm

Glossy, dark green dissected leaves that can have a red flush in spring. Flowering in May and June, it is a later flowering type, useful for prolonging the Paeony display in your garden. The flowers are single and cup shaped with rich red shiny petals. The centre of the flower has a disc of fluffy red petaloids each with a creamy margin.

Fantastic as a cut flower, the stems should be taken as the buds become swollen and about to open.

Happy in sun or part shade, it performs best when grown in a sheltered spot away from strong winds which could damage the stems and flowers. It may be necessary to stake the flowering stems if the flowers are too heavy. 

Most good, humus rich soils are good for these plants but they can suffer if the ground is consistently wet or heavy in the winter, to help avoid this do not add manure to the soil. A crumbly or friable organic mulch is fine placed around but not touching the plant.

The upward growing tips on the roots (called toes) should not be than 2.5 cm below the surface of the soil. Planting deeper will give you lots of bushy growth but no flowers.