Feature Article

Herbaceous Peonies on a Smaller Scale

When I list herbaceous peonies in my catalogue I put them into one of three broad groups; those over 90 cm tall, those between 60 and 90 cm and those below 60 cm. Herbaceous peonies that attain less than 60 cm are interesting because they can be planted in situations were the taller peonies just won’t do.

There is a range of foliage type, flowering time, flower colour and form to choose from but I’m guessing that lower growing herbaceous peonies probably represent much less than 10% of the so called peony universe. There is more choice earlier in the season than later with many of the lower growing peonies being either early species or their hybrids (a hybrid being a cross between two or more different species of peony). There are however some lower growing cultivars of P. lactiflora that flower later in the season.

Probably the best known early lower growing peony is the double flowered P. tenuifolia ‘Plena’, sometimes called the fern leaf peony. It is undeniably a star of the early spring garden. Its shoots will be among the first to emerge in spring and they are probably the most striking of all peony shoots.

Paeonia tenuifolia 'Plena'

The single forms of P. tenuifolia are charming. The red flowered form is widely available but the rare pink flowered form is hard to find.

A word of caution - though they are absolutely beautiful plants, P. tenuifolia does tend to go dormant in mid summer if temperatures are high and water is in short supply. This can leave a large mass of dying brown foliage in a prominent location. Some thought needs to be given to location and neighbouring plants to keep it from becoming a midsummer eyesore.

Low growing hybrids of P. tenuifolia such as ‘Little Red Gem’ are much better at avoiding early dormancy but still possess well dissected foliage and cheery early spring flowers.

Little Red Gem

Among my favourite lower growing peonies is P. officinalis ssp. villosa. It is a strong plant that establishes quickly and is very free flowering. The flowers are a piercing shade of magenta that loudly announces the arrival of spring. Exquisite though the flowers may be, I grow them primarily for the foliage and the late season seed heads. The foliage is grey blue green and particularly agreeable.

Paeonia officinalis ssp. villosa

The cultivars of P. officinalis tend to be low growing and though many are now very hard to find, those that are still available are well worth growing. P. officinalis ‘Rubra Plena’ and P. officinalis ‘Rosea Plena’ are often overlooked in the hunt for newer and more innovative cultivars. They are grown in large quantities and often sold cheaply to large retailers and garden centres for spring sales. Spring planting is tough on a peony and not recommended but this is often the only way to obtain these old peonies. The foliage is a soft blue green and the small double flowers are very welcome at a time when double flowers are in short supply.

Paeonia officinalis 'Rubra Plena'

William Krekler, the American peony breeder, seemed to have had a fondness for diminutive peonies. He was responsible for the development of a number of lower growing peonies. Roy Klehm introduced several of Krekler’s plants as part of a group he calls ‘Rock Garden’ peonies. I grow ‘Thumbelina’ from this group and find it to be a very pretty little peony. It would not look out of place in a rock garden if you are lucky enough to have one bt it is also very attractive tucked into a small space or in the front of a traditional herbaceous border.

Thumbelina

Mr. Krekler also introduced what is sometimes referred to as a miniature ‘Red Charm’. ‘Eliza Lundy’ is an splendid lower growing peony that really does resemble the ever popular ‘Red Charm’ but flowers almost a week later. I grow both and I honestly prefer ‘Eliza Lundy’ because it is such a compact well behaved plant. I don’t see it working in a rock garden but it certainly would make an excellent specimen plant in a small garden. It is striking when in bloom but has a season long interest afforded by the compact, well shaped plant. Because it looks great all season long it can be planted in a prominent location without fear of it becoming an eyesore as the season progresses.

Eliza Lundy

‘Nice Gal’ is another Krekler introduction that is on the short side though it is taller than anything I have mentioned so far. The flowers of ‘Nice Gal’ are held flush with the top of the foliage giving the plant a solid appearance when in flower. This is an ideal plant for the edge of a walkway where it can be viewed from above. The growth habit is compact even when in flower making it an ideal peony for a low growing hedge.

Nice Gal

‘Mandarin’s Coat’ is a lower growing P. lactiflora cultivar that has Japanese form flowers. This flower form is usually associated with taller cultivars which makes ‘Mandarin’s Coat’ even more unusual. Its registration information suggests it flowers very early in the season but my own experience suggest that it flowers near the end of the peony season.

Mandarin's Coat

One lower growing peony that I always admire is ‘Rosalie’. It looks like a typical P. lactiflora cultivar in all but height. The flower colour is exceptionally rich and it looks its very best when growing at the foot of taller cultivars with paler pink flowers. It is also one of just a few cultivars that consistently develops good fall colour.

Rosalie

My final choice might be pushing the 60 cm height limit a little but ‘Élise Renault’ is worth mentioning because it is among the shortest of the old French cultivars that I grow. It is useful when the need is for a smaller peony with a traditional appearance. It has a good fragrance which is, I’m afraid, usually lacking in the lower growing cultivars.

Élise Renault

These are not the only lower growing peonies available. Discover others by perusing catalogues and books. Visits to public plantings and conversations with commercial growers like myself are also useful. Though but a small group, lower growing peonies are varied in bloom time and appearance and are well worth seeking out.

The above article first appeared in the May 2009 newsletter of the Canadian Peony Society, Paeonia Nordica and is reprinted with permission.

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