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Herbaceous Perennial

Paeonia 'Cytherea'
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

An upright and bushy herbaceous perennial with attractive, dissected dark green foliage tinged red in spring. Erect stems holding showy, spicily scented, saucer-shaped magenta-pink flowers fading to pastel pink appear in summer. Outstanding in its flower form and performance.

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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink Green
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Paeoniaceae
Native to the UK
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. See herbaceous peony cultivation for more details.

Propagation

Propagate by division in autumn and early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wall side borders
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Cut flowers
Pruning

Remove spent flowers and cut back foliage in autumn when it dies back

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

Get involved

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