Paeonia lactiflora 'Gardenia'

RHS Plant Profile

peony 'Gardenia'

Herbaceous Perennial

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A bushy, clump-forming perennial to 90cm high with dark green, divided foliage. Fragrant, double, white flowers, sometimes tinged with a faint pink blush, 20-25cm across, are borne on sturdy stems in early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–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): H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best in deep, fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but well-drained in a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade. Likely to need support (see staking perennials). Long-lived but resents disturbance. See herbaceous peony cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division in autumn or early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove dead flowers as they fade, then cut plant back as the foliage dies down at the end of summer

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