Paeonia 'Flame'

Paeonia 'Flame': Hot Scarlet Singles for Small Yards

'Flame' doesn't smoulder. It ignites. Big, cupped, scarlet single blooms with a hot centre of yellow stamens on a compact clump. THE BEES CAN'T STAY AWAY FROM THE HEAT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Paeonia hybrid (P. lactiflora × P. peregrina)
• Common Name: Hybrid Peony
• Height: 55–60 cm (22–24 in)
• Spread: 60–75 cm (24–30 in)
• Flowers: Large, cupped, single scarlet-red flowers with a centre of yellow stamens, lightly fragrant
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Dark green, divided leaves on a compact, rounded clump
• Features: Compact

Where to Plant: Its compact size makes it a good fit for the front of a border, a smaller yard, or a spot along a walk. Single flowers are easy for bees to work, so it suits pollinator plantings too.

Companion Plants: Plant scarlet 'Flame' in a sunny or part-shade bed with small gold daylilies, white lilies and golden heliopsis. Hemerocallis 'Mini Stella' edges the front with small yellow daylilies at 20 to 25 cm from July to September. Lilium 'Casa Blanca' adds fragrant white lilies at 90 to 120 cm in July and August. Heliopsis 'Tuscan Sun' brings compact golden daisies at 60 to 90 cm from July to September. Miscanthus 'Zebrinus' rises behind at 180 to 210 cm with gold-banded blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in rich, well-drained soil. Set the eyes on the crown no more than 5 cm (2 in) below the soil surface. Planting too deep is the classic reason a peony won't bloom. Water well through the first season. Single flowers are lighter than doubles, so it usually stands up without staking. Deadhead after bloom if you want a tidy plant. Cut the stems to the ground in fall and clear away the old leaves. Leave it where it is; peonies grow best when nobody moves them.

History: 'Flame' was introduced in 1939 by Lyman Glasscock, an American breeder known for his hybrid peonies. It came from a cross of P. lactiflora with the P. peregrina hybrid 'Sunbeam'.

Final Thoughts: Compact, deer resistant and fine with dry spells once settled. Plant it at the front where it can glow. KEEP A FIRE EXTINGUISHER HANDY.