Paeonia ‘Bartzella’ 2Gal

Latin Name: Paeonia ‘Bartzella’ (Itoh hybrid, Paeonia lactiflora × P. suffruticosa)

Common Name: Bartzella Itoh Peony / Intersectional Peony

Zones: 4-9 

Height & Spread: 30-36 inches tall, spreading 30-36 inches wide 

Descriptive Features: Widely considered the best of the Itoh (intersectional) peonies, bred by Roger Anderson, who carried on Dr. Itoh’s work to create the perfect yellow peony. Large, 6-8 inch, semi-double to double flowers open a warm, lemon-yellow with a small red to rose-purple flare at the center and a sweet lemon fragrance. Blooms from late spring into early summer, with side buds extending the season, and an established clump can produce 80 or more flowers. The healthy, deeply lobed, tree-peony-like foliage emerges burgundy and matures to deep green, staying handsome from spring through fall, and the sturdy, shrub-like clump is substantial enough to stand in for a small shrub. Strong, upright stems hold the heavy blooms without staking, even after rain. Unlike tree peonies, the stems die back to the ground each winter. Makes an excellent cut flower, and is deer- and rabbit-resistant. Best in full sun to part shade in rich, well-drained soil with average moisture, and plant the crown shallowly, with the buds just below the soil surface. Long-lived but resents disturbance, so divide only if necessary and only in fall. Good air circulation helps prevent botrytis blight. An excellent choice as a specimen, in perennial borders, as a low herbaceous hedge, or in cutting gardens.