Hello all,

Last year was the third year in the ground for my Cora Louise. After going through photos from last summer, I remembered that the flowers turned out quite double-ish - to the point that you could barely see stamens on some of the flowers. All the photos I've seen online appear to be single or semi-double in petal form, so I was wondering if anyone has experienced or seen something similar? It seems that the flowers also opened up an ivory colour, which I don't remember happening in the previous year. Here are some photos:










Thanks for your input!

This is Cora Louise bloomed last year.

Close Up:


Bush:


Perhaps others have Cora Louise peonies pics that they can post. I also would like to compare mine to others as I bought mine from Lowes. Not sure if I got a field grown plant or tissue culture plant.

Professor Don Smith mentioned that in his 2004 APS Bulletin articles:
http://www.yellowpeoniesandmor...
" I am also quite delighted to report that IMPOSSIBLE DREAM bloomed much more double in its second year of bloom than in its maiden bloom season. As I have reported in the past, this is a common characteristic of the intersectional hybrid group as a whole. This year several flowers were fully double with numerous central petals that completely obscured the carpels and anthers. Although some flowers retained the full-petaled (45-50 petals), open-center, semi-double form from last year, I believe that the more double form will become the predominant flower type as this plant reaches full maturity. "

Here are some pics of my Cora Louise. I bought it from a large nursery and it is field grown. I bought it late in the spring and planted it in an area that gets shade after 12 noon. This seems to work well this far south. So this is first season in the ground and it ultimately had 7 blooms I think. Nick, the colors of your blooms appear to be correct, just double.

Mine are also more single with definite white petals with lavender centers. Still haven't recovered from a terrible winter 3013 as has Julia Rose (hardly any growth and no flowers.)

If you've had more consistent good springs maybe yours is just better established by now, Nick. I looked at Select Plus online, even though the pic they have for Cora Louse shows a single, their description read: "Pure white double with lavender flares. Flat in form, reliable with average amount of bloom on good strong stems, dark green foliage and blooms at mid-season. Flowers are held above the 24" bush. Some fragrance" So your beautiful pics are what the rest of us have to look forward to!

Except for the double form of Nick's Cora Louise, they all look rather similar. I remember buying the Cora Louise from Lowes as a root so I don't think mine is TC. Also, the plant does not have a concentration of eyes in the center as my Lollipop plant from Michigan Bulb. But who knows if the company that sold Lowes the Cora Louise plants started with TC plants or field grown plants. So mine could have been divisions of a TC plant. I guess I will never know. Whether my Cora Louise is a derived TC plant or not, it is a very nicely grown bush with pretty flowers. In fact, I think everyone's CL is very special and pretty in spite of the variations. Though I am curious as to what the "original" looks like.

How long has you CL been in the ground, Karen? Alex and Karen, do you treat yours similarly? Do either of you remove the sidebuds? Is debudding Itohs even a thing to get a bigger main bloom like a herbaceous peony?

I got CL in spring 2013. So last year was its third growing season. No, I do not disbud. Wish I can bring myself to do it, but it is hard to kill something that has potential to bloom.

I had 2 semi-double flowers first year but because I moved it twice next summer no flowers 2nd year. Keep my fingers crossed, but may have to move it again, I have suspicions that maple roots ( Norway maple? ) are suppressing the development, even it is far away. Thinking about putting 15 inch plastic barrier like for basement... Not sure if it will work though. I usually do not disbud, but may go for it if there are too many of them first year.

Too bad we're in different countries, the next thing I think I'd suggest is to trade divisions to see if it's the environment or the plant. Who'd you get yours from, Alex?

Here's my Cora Louise from 2015. It was planted in the fall of 2011, the root came from Hollingsworth. It was moved to my new peony bed in 2014.

This was the 4th year (in 2015) since its been in my garden. I hope I get those luscious double blooms this spring in year 5.

My C L blooms always hid in the foliage and I don't even have a photo saved of it. It is a TC plant from Paradise Gardens. Hopefully it will do better this year as it got a half cup of 6-12-12 like all my other established peonies.

Mine was just planted fall 2014 and hasn't bloomed yet. It wasn't that huge of a division in the first place, was bareroot but I remember being underwhelmed by the size when I got it. Hopefully it's doing well and I'll see blooms this year.

I think I got it potted from Humber Nurseries. I bought Julia Rose from Last Horison and specifically asked if it was TC plant. The answer was yes , but price was reasonable and I got it anyway. Mulched it and hope it will survive this winter. Liz, totally agree it is not fair that we can not trade plants between Canada and USA. They are forecasting 10 cm of snow on Thu and Fri. I guess winter is not over yet in Toronto.

Not over here, either, Alex. We're supposed to get snow again Wednesday but I didn't notice how much they predicted.

Six inches here over the weekend

I heard today we're supposed to get 4-6 inches by tomorrow evening, then back up to 60 before we get more rain mixed with snow Friday into Saturday. Not the best year to have decided to protect peonies from sub-freezing temps, huh?

OMG, you guys have to deal with such terrible weather. I hope extended warm and sunshine head your ways soon.

! !