Description:

Dwarf peony with large, dark violet-rose double flowers, overlaid with a silvery-blue sheen; nice fragrance with abundant flowers on stiff stems

Ornamental Features

Standard Bearer Peony features bold fragrant rose flowers with silvery blue overtones at the ends of the stems from early to mid spring. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its compound leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Standard Bearer Peony is an herbaceous perennial with a more or less rounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Standard Bearer Peony is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Standard Bearer Peony will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 28 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. The flower stalks can be weak and so it may require staking in exposed sites or excessively rich soils. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.