Scientific Name
Paeonia anomala L.
Common Name(s)
Anomalous Peony, Herbaceous Peony
Synonym(s)
Paeonia anomala subsp. anomala, Paeonia altaica, Paeonia quinquecapsularis, Paeonia sibirica, Paeonia sinjiangensis, Paeonia veitchii subsp. altaica
Scientific Classification
Family: Paeoniaceae
Genus: Paeonia
Flower
Color: Dark maroon
Bloom Time: March to June
Description
Paeonia anomala is a herbaceous perennial plant with dark green leaves with gray-green underneath, and each with nine narrow leaflets with bristly veins above. It grows up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall. Flowers are solitary, cup-shaped, bright reddish-purple, up to 4 inches (10 cm) across, with rounded wavy petals and golden yellow stamens.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 4a to 8b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).
How to Grow and Care
The hardy Peony plant prefers full sun, pH-neutral, well-draining soil, and a deep cold spell each year to help it regenerate in the spring. Depending on the variety you choose, they can flower from spring through early summer with plump, showy, feathery blooms in hues of pink, red, peach, and white.
Unlike most perennials, Peonies do not need to be dug up and divided as they grow and mature.
The ideal time to plant Peony tubers is late fall before the first hard frost. Unfortunately, peonies do not respond well to being transplanted, so we recommend planting tubers rather than transplanting an established plant.
If your newly growing Peonies seem leggy or are starting to bend close to the ground, gently stake the plant stalk so it remains upright.
It's normal to discover ants crawling on Peony flowers. These ants eat nectar and not the plant itself. They also eat pest insects. Shake off the ants if you decide to cut some of the flowers. Otherwise, leave them alone.
See more at: How to Grow and Care for Peonies.
Origin
This species is the widest-ranging species geographically. Its natural range is through the Ural mountains of Russia from the Arctic Circle into Mongolia and northern China and other parts of Siberia.
Links
- Back to genus Paeonia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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