The Garden.org Plants Database

I find this mildly aggressive spreading plant a welcome addition to the few beds it has decided to make a home in so far, mainly because it is a host plant for Fritillary butterflies. Its pretty purple early blooms and cute heart-shaped leaves are an added bonus to my often otherwise drab and fairly barren early spring beds.

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Those intending to grow this plant for culinary purposes should expect to have to trial many clones from various sources before they find one that actually produces in their environment. Many clones have the trait of "premature senescence," which means the plant withers and dies in late summer/early fall before producing any appreciable number of flower buds. My own plants are quite vigorous, and will multiply tenfold in a season, but will turn yellow and collapse in early September, rarely making more than a half-dozen buds. This holds true in a wide variety of soils and sun exposures I've tried. Nonetheless, this plant makes an attractive, lush filler for the odd shady corner, although it arrives late and departs early.

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A glowing flower, but unfortunately has not returned well in subsequent years.

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Fairy Tale Pink is a very reliable bloomer. It even performs well in a small container. I had it in a narrow windowbox for years and that never stopped it from blooming. I moved it out of the windowbox a couple of years ago and it hasn't made the transition well. It still blooms but has lost fans and hasn't seemed as vigorous. I'm hoping that it does much better this year now that it has had a chance to settle in.

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Envy Me is a reliable bloomer in my garden. However, the scapes are nowhere near the height that they are registered. While it doesn't bloom down in the foliage the scapes are not very tall. It has also been a poor increaser in my garden. I have to admit though that it is planted on a hill in very rocky soil so that may have something to do with it. I've done many crosses with it and find it to be a very difficult pod parent. In my garden it is a much better pollen parent. I have several seedlings from it using the pollen so I know it is definitely pollen fertile.

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Embers of Vesuvius is one of my favorite daylilies! It is a very bright orange that is very visible from a distance. But what I love most about it are the various spots of red that are on the petals. I checked and last year pretty much every single bloom had them. That makes it a very unique flower in my garden.

It does have some negative traits. It takes forever for the flowers to open. As a hybridizer, if I want to use pollen from EOV I have to be very patient. The slow opening is not related to the weather or temperature. It is also not a vigorous increaser for me. It adds about a fan a year. But those are the only two flaws I can think of. Overall, this plant is well worth growing for its gorgeous bloom and reliable flowering.

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"Paeonia 'Ruth Cobb', (3-DB-PK) lactiflora cultivar Peony, (Wild & Son, 1963), USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Medium height, large double, pink petals edged silver, hidden stamens, good cut, stout stems, midseason bloomer, Michigan Bloom Month 5.

Flowers are about three inches deep and are slightly flat on top. Does not seem to be all that popular."

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"Paeonia 'Salmon Glow', (2-SL-PK) albiflora x officinalis hybrid Peony, (Glasscock, 1947), USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8, Medium height, Single, coral pink petals, cupped, early bloomer, light green carpels with pink tips, early bloomer., Michigan Bloom Month 5c-6.

Albiflora x officinalis Sunbeam. Published photos of this peony vary in color quite a bit."

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Alstroemeria Tangerine Tango has been winter hardy for me since planting it several years ago. It does suffer when we have particularly bad winters and springs but always blooms. The blooms will be delayed in bad years. I've heard that Alstroemeria can become problematic in the garden due to increasing rapidly. I haven't had this problem at all. It increases, but very slowly and has yet to try and crowd out other plants. I have it planted near daylilies and so far they have coexisted without problem. I do have to stake Tangerine Tango every year but that is most likely due to the fact that it is planted on a hill and tends to want to flop down the hill.

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"Paeonia 'Sequestered Sunshine', (3-SL-Y) Itoh Hybrid Peony, (Anderson, 1999), USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Medium height, single to semi- double, canary yellow petals, large flower, red stigmas, ring of yellow stamens, good cut, side-buds, midseason bloomer, Michigan Bloom Month 5.

Has a bushy habit that does not require staking. Seed parent, Miss America. "

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"Paeonia 'Shawnee Chief', (3-DB-RD) lactiflora cultivar Peony, (Bigger, 1940), USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Medium height, double, Dark Red petals, 3 rings of guard petals, good cut, midseason bloomer, Michigan Bloom Month 5.

Published photos look dark pink to me. Planted in fall of 2017. Very early growth, 2018. Waiting to see if it was damaged by frost."

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Heavily budded, but blooms in foliage here.

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Like parent, Chance Encounter, can be slow to open fully.

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Strong grower here in 6a, with some repeat.

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Striking color in the landscape, with good substance and quite strong stems.

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Super substance, striking color contrast, and lasts quite well.

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Not a vigorous grower, but color is unique.

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Good substance. A smooth, sculpted flower with strong stems.

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A vigorous, reliable grower. Makes a mass of blooms.

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Long lasting (over 3 weeks here) and withstands adverse weather.

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