Paeonia lactiflora 'Sword Dance'
peony 'Sword Dance'
A clump-forming perennial to 90cm tall with glossy, dark green, divided foliage. Flowers borne from late spring into early summer comprise deep red petals surrounding golden-yellow staminoides streaked with red
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Red Yellow | Green | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Red Yellow | Green | ||
Autumn | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical 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
Best in a deep, fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but well-drained in a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade. Long lived but resents disturbance. See also herbaceous peony cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division in autumn or early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Remove dead flowers as they fade, then cut back plant 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
Get involved
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