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ShrubsSynonym

Paeonia lutea

white-flowered Delavay peony

An upright sparsely-branched deciduous shrub with dark green leaves, blue-green beneath, composed of leaflets cut into pointed lobes. Bears single cup-shaped, vivid yellow flowers 6cm across during early summer

Synonyms

Paeonia delavayi f. superba
Paeonia lutea
see morePaeonia delavayi var. lutea

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Paeoniaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Pets (dogs, cats): Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Paeonia may be herbaceous perennials or deciduous sub-shrubs with large, divided leaves and showy large bowl-shaped flowers, usually in early summer
Name status: Correct
Horticultural Group: Shrubby peonies are sparsely branched deciduous shrubs leaves divided into several finger-like lobes, and bowl-shaped flowers in late spring or early summer
Plant range: China (Yunnan)

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well-drained, humus-rich soil in sun or partial shade. See tree peony cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Cut flowers

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworm and soil-dwelling swift moth larvae

Diseases

May be susceptible to a virus, honey fungus, Verticillium wilt, peony leaf blotch and peony wilt

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