Paeonia tenuifolia 'Plena'

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peony fern-leaf 'Plena'

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Synonyms

Paeonia tenuifolia 'Rubra Plena'
Paeonia tenuifolia 'Flore Pleno'

Herbaceous Perennial
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A small, upright and bushy herbaceous perennial with attractive, very fine, dissected, green foliage tinged red in spring. Erect stems holding showy, spicily scented, double, deeply cupped, red flowers appear in spring for a short period of time

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 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)
H5

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
Clump forming
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

Will grow well in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered position. Plant in autumn, add fertiliser in spring to promote good growth and mulch avoiding the stem area. Irrigate regularly until the plant becomes established after which it should not require routine watering. See tree peony cultivation for more details.

Propagation

Propagate by grafting, from a semi-ripe cutting or layering

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Prune dead stems to a healthy bud in late winter and cut flowered shoots just above the new growth in summer or autumn. Cut stems by a third in autumn to encourage vigor if the plant becomes leggy. See Pruning group 1 for more details.

Pests

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

Diseases

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