Paeonia 'Best Man'

Paeonia 'Best Man': Deep Red Doubles for the Late Shift

'Best Man' shows up late to the party, but in a sharp red suit and with a speech that brings the house down. Fully double, deep red blooms on strong stems. NO EMBARRASSING STORIES. JUST FLOWERS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Best Man'
• Common Name: Garden Peony
• Height: 80–85 cm (31–33 in)
• Spread: 60 cm (24 in)
• Flowers: Fully double, deep red, with a light fragrance
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June)
• Foliage: Dark green and glossy, vigorous and upright
• Features: Strong stems, late season bloom, good cut flower

Where to Plant: Use it as an anchor in a sunny border, where the deep red adds weight and the late-season bloom carries things on. It also earns a spot in the cutting garden, since the strong stems make bold cut flowers.

Companion Plants: Anemone canadensis opens simple white flowers at 30 to 60 cm from May to July, a clean backdrop for deep red blooms. Monarda fistulosa follows with lavender flowers at 60 to 120 cm from June to August, keeping the bed busy after the peony finishes. Polemonium 'Heavenly Habit' fills the front with violet flowers at 25 to 30 cm from May to July. All three grow in full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun for the most flowers. Part sun works, with fewer blooms. Give it fertile, well-drained soil with some compost mixed in. Set the crown so the pink buds, called eyes, sit no more than 5 cm (2 in) below the soil surface. Planted deeper, peonies tend to sulk and skip blooming. Water regularly through the first season, then only during long dry spells. A peony ring set out in early spring helps if a summer storm rolls through at peak bloom. Ants on the buds are normal and do no harm. In fall, cut the stems to the ground and clear away the leaves to reduce diseases such as botrytis. Peonies dislike being moved. If you must divide, do it in early fall, keeping three to five eyes per piece.

History: 'Best Man' comes from the Klehm family's peony breeding program in Illinois, one of the best-known names in North American peonies. It's a late-season double with deep red flowers on husky stems.

Final Thoughts: Cut a few for the reception table and watch them upstage the happy couple. Deer won't touch it. SORRY TO THE GROOM.