Paeonia lactiflora Sea Shell

Paeonia lactiflora Sea Shell is a variety of herbaceous peony of the Japanese type obtained in Poland in 1937, and awarded in the U.S.A. in 1990, but still rare in cultivation in Europe. This variety, with an elegant appearance reminiscent of a Japanese anemone, produces large single and satin flowers in a dragee pink colour that fade as they open around a large heart of golden stamens. The obvious beauty of the flowers is accompanied by a slight fragrance and the plant, vigorous and floriferous, develops strong stems that do not require staking. 'Sea Shell', beautifully evocative of its namesake, undoubtedly deserves to be discovered and adopted. 

Chinese herbaceous peonies are mainly derived from the Paeonia lactiflora, a perennial herbaceous plant native to central and eastern Asia (from eastern Tibet, northern China, to eastern Siberia), where it naturally grows in woods and meadows. This plant belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae or Paeoniaceae.

The 'Sea Shell' variety forms a solid herbaceous and bushy clump from spring onwards that can reach 1 m (3ft) in height and 90 cm (35in) in spread. Its large flowers appear in the middle of the peony season, in May, for about two to three weeks, each living for 7 to 10 days. This peony forms buds on the terminal part of the stems, but also numerous lateral buds that extend the flowering period. The flowers are born as a large dragee pink bud, then open into a campanulate corolla 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8in) in diameter, beautifully shaped like a cup, composed of wide rounded and undulate petals of a fairly bright dragee pink colour that gradually lightens to a very pale, almost white pink. At the heart of the flower sits a large bunch of golden yellow stamens. The young foliage unfolds into large green leaves, highly dissected. They are carried on a petiole that divides into 3, with lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate segments. In this variety, the flowers are slightly but pleasantly fragrant. The leaflets are entire or sometimes lobed. They disappear in winter, while the buds that will develop in spring persist at ground level. This very perennial plant grows from a large fleshy root that does not appreciate being moved.

Peonies are one of those plants that form the founations of a garden. In the past every garden, from the most modest to the most elaborate, proudly displayed clumps of peony flowers that made their way into the house, keeping company in bouquets with lilac and bluebell flowers. Opulent and generous, the 'Sea Shell' peony can be planted in a flowerbed or alongside a path, associated with timeless and unpretentious perennials such as columbines, bellflowers, foxgloves, grasses, carnations, or Christmas roses. It can also be grown in the vegetable garden to supply cut flowers for the house. Pot cultivation is not recommended, as its needs will not be met. Over time, the peony becomes majestic and blooms more and more abundantly, producing up to 60 flowers.