Paeonia mascula

Paeonia mascula, or the male peony, is also called the coral peony, perhaps because of the beautiful coral red colour displayed by some of its seeds. It is a botanical species which has become rare, clearly a victim of insatiable collectors due to the beauty of its large flowers of a satin pink colour. It is recognisable for its bicoloured fruit composed of bright red or black seeds, as well as its foliage, divided into wide and undulate leaflets. Its large pink cup-shaped flowers bloom from March to May depending on the climate. Adopt this endangered plant in your garden and give it what it loves: the dappled atmosphere of the understory and well-drained soil, even clay-limestone and rocky!

The Coral Peony is native to Central and Southern Europe, as well as Asia Minor. Its range extends from France to Russia, passing through Italy. To the south it reaches Algeria. In some places this plant is under high protection status, and its collection is prohibited and subject to criminal penalties. Like all peonies, it belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae (now Paeoniaceae)

It is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy rhizomes, very hardy. Its growth is slow during the first years, with this moderately vigorous plant eventually forming a bushy clump of 50-60 cm (20-24in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width. Its stems bear leaves with different appearances depending on their position on the plant. The lower leaves are divided into two leaflets cut into 3 segments, the upper leaves cut into 3 leaflets with broad undulate segments, pubescent on the underside. The lamina, lightly undulate, is of a slightly glaucous green colour. The flowering lasts only one week, from March to May depending on the climate. The flowers, in the form of single cups of 12 to 14 cm (5 to 6in), solitary, appear at the tips of the stems. They are composed of silky petals, whose colour can vary from fresh pink to purple pink depending on the strains. They are centred on a prominent heart composed of yellow stamens. This flowering is followed by the formation of fluffy and gray fruits containing sterile red seeds and fertile black seeds, round and smooth, which germinate after exposure to cold.

Peonies are among those plants that form the foundations of a garden. In the past every garden, from the humblest to the most elaborate, proudly displayed clumps of peonies that made their way into the house, keeping lilacs and bluebells company in bouquets. The rare and precious coral peony deserves a carefully chosen location, in partial shade and in well-drained soil. It can be planted at the edge of a grove, in the understory, or even in a large rock garden sheltered from the scorching sun. It can be associated with small periwinkles, dry soil ferns (Asplenium trichomanes, Cystopteris dickiana, Dryopteris erythrosora, Polypodium vulgare), or other shade-loving perennial ground cover plants. Pot cultivation is not recommended, as its needs will not be met. Over time the peony becomes majestic, multiplies, and blooms more abundantly.