Photo is of a self-seeded plant, unknown parentage, first blooms today. Click on photo for enlargement so you can see what I believe is a unique marking? This is different, I think, than the red flares that 'Festiva Maxima' has. This plant has 3 flowers open, all with the purple outline on the inner petals (stamenoids?) and 6 more buds yet to open. Maybe this marking occurs frequently and I am just not very observant?

Seems very common in "'Festiva Maxima", below are two flowers from "'Festiva Maxima'".

Hi Linda, if you had some really cold weather during bud formation it can change the shades a bit, probably what you're seeing if the coloration is different from other years. I've seen it before on a couple of my peonies and Mieko had it happen with one of her Itohs this year.

littlebin said:Seems very common in "'Festiva Maxima", below are two flowers from "'Festiva Maxima'".

I have 'Festiva Maxima' which is in full bloom and I just went out and checked every flower. They all have some splashes of color in the center, but none had the precise edging like your 2nd photo and like my seedling

I don't know why, some "Festiva Maxima" has, some don't. My 1st photo also have precise edging, but weaker than the 2nd.

alwaysbehindMN said:
I have 'Festiva Maxima' which is in full bloom and I just went out and checked every flower. They all have some splashes of color in the center, but none had the precise edging like your 2nd photo and like my seedling

Found another cultivar having these precise edging: 'Boule de Neige' ,
Here is the link of the photo:
http://mgdelco.blogspot.com/20...