Paeonia L. ‘Felix Crousse’ 2Gal

Latin Name: Paeonia lactiflora ‘Félix Crousse’

Common Name: Félix Crousse Peony / Chinese Peony / Garden Peony

Zones: 3-8

Height & Spread: 24-36 inches tall, spreading 18-36 inches wide

Descriptive Features: An enduring heirloom peony raised by Félix Crousse of France and introduced to American gardeners in 1881, a Plant of Merit that remains a favorite more than a century later. Large, fully double, ruffled, fragrant flowers open in deep carmine-crimson to magenta-red with a darker center and petals edged in a silvery sheen, and they bloom in late spring to early summer, mid to late in the peony season. The flowers are lavishly produced and make a wonderful, long-lasting cut flower. Deep green, divided, glossy foliage forms a rounded, shrubby, upright clump that holds its color all season, and stems die back to the ground after frost. Plant in full sun to part shade in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, with afternoon shade appreciated in warmer regions, and set the crown no more than 1-2 inches below the surface. A long-lived plant best left undisturbed, with old foliage cut back in fall to help prevent disease. Watch for peony wilt and botrytis in wet conditions. Deer- and rabbit-resistant. An excellent choice for borders, cottage and cutting gardens, formal plantings, mass plantings, and as a low herbaceous hedge in full sun to part shade.