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Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi

Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi
Tree Peony. Moutan Peony

4,2/5
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Brave little plant that I pamper.

Anne-Marie, 08/09/2024

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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty

More information

A 'blue' tree peony, which bears barely double and delicately scented flowers in April-May, with a diameter of 16 cm (6in), with pale lavender pink petals, stained with dark purple at the heart, which reveals beautiful golden stamens. Its dark green foliage has a reddish border. The bush, of medium size, is vigorous, floriferous, and it withstands very sunny sites well. Offer it a bright exposure and well-drained garden soil.
Flower size
16 cm
Height at maturity
1.40 m
Spread at maturity
1.40 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -18°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November
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Flowering time April to May
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Description

Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lan Bao Shi', also known as 'Blue Jewel' or 'Blue Sapphire', is one of the best "blue" tree peonies currently available. The plant shows vigorous growth, producing numerous delicately scented flowers and tolerating strong sunlight. Its cup-shaped flowers, pale pink with mauve highlights, reveal a purple-violet spotted centre surrounding a large cluster of stamens. The tree peony is a hardy plant, easy to grow in any good garden soil. It will live for many years with minimal care after proper installation. An established tree peony needs no description; it is simply admired, whether in isolation or at the foreground of a shrub bed.

The 'Blue Jewel' tree peony is a magnificent descendant of Paeonia suffruticosa, native to central China. This extraordinary species, cultivated for approximately 1500 years in China and two centuries in Europe, has given rise to numerous cultivars with single or double flowers in various colours, except true blue. The wild form, which remains enigmatic, has never been formally identified. In contrast to herbaceous peonies, Paeonia suffruticosa produces woody branches, one or several small trunks, and sparsely branched knotted branches that persist year-round, like those of shrubs. Its foliage is deciduous, appearing in spring and falling in autumn, sometimes displaying beautiful colours at the end of the season. All these plants native to the Far East are very hardy. They belong to the Ranunculaceae family.

'Lan Bao Shi' was selected in China in 1975. Of medium size but with vigorous growth, this peony forms a sparsely branched, rounded bush that can reach 1.40 to 1.50 meters (5 feet) in all directions under good growing conditions. The short, straight, upright branches bear leaves divided into 9 long lanceolate leaflets, very smooth, strongly veined, reddish at the start and quickly turning dark green, sometimes with reddish borders. The flowering of this variety occurs for 3 weeks in April-May, in the middle of the tree peony season. A 3-year-old plant will produce a single flower in the first year, but 50 after 20 years of cultivation. It starts with very large solitary buds, green and round, appearing at the end of new shoots in late winter and resisting late frosts well. They open into semi-double chrysanthemum-like corollas, upright or horizontal, measuring approximately 16 cm (6in) wide and 6 cm (2in) deep. The very pale pink petals have a dark smudge at the base, a characteristic probably inherited from Paeonia rockii. The flower's centre is occupied by highly visible golden-yellow stamens, attracting bumblebees. The light fragrance that diffuses around the flowering bush is somewhat reminiscent of roses.

The tree peony is not a plant for impatient gardeners. It takes its time, but those years of patience are rewarded with the fabulous spectacle created by this opulent shrub covered in flowers in spring. In the garden, the 'Lan Bao Shi' tree peony will be sumptuous as a standalone against a wall, in the foreground of a hedge, or in a bed, under tall trees, always sheltered from the wind and in an area with plenty of light. Its dreamlike flowers will be enhanced by those of other peonies in white, dark pink, purple, or mauve, clusters of lilacs in mauve, purple, or white, or early-flowering China roses (Old Blush). This plant also pairs well with other perennials that bloom before or after it, such as bearded irises or bellflowers.

 

Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi in pictures

Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi (Flowering) Flowering
Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi (Foliage) Foliage
Paeonia suffruticosa Lan Bao Shi (Plant habit) Plant habit

Flowering

Flower colour mauve
Flowering time April to May
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 16 cm
Fragrance slightly scented
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour dark green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.40 m
Spread at maturity 1.40 m
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Paeonia

Species

suffruticosa

Cultivar

Lan Bao Shi

Family

Ranunculaceae

Other common names

Tree Peony. Moutan Peony

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference18710

Planting and care

Place the Lan Bao Shi shrubby Peony preferably in partial shade in hotter southern regions, or in full sun in more northerly regions. 6 hours of sunlight per day are necessary to achieve beautiful flowering. Morning sun is appreciated, while scorching situations should be avoided. Plant it from September to May, avoiding freezing periods, in fertile and deep soil, slightly acidic, neutral or slightly alkaline, that is moist but well-drained so that the roots do not rot. Once well established in deep soil, the tree peony does not require watering in summer, especially early spring flowering varieties. Its hardiness is excellent, but the flower buds can be damaged by strong or dry and cold winds.

Easy to grow, tree Peonies require little maintenance but deserve careful installation. During planting, dig a large hole 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) deep and at least as wide. Fill it with a mixture of garden soil, leaf compost, and river sand or gravel if your soil is very heavy and compact. Add crushed horn, bone meal, and dried blood at the bottom of the planting hole. Do not place the plants too close together, for good ventilation. The tree Peony dislikes competition from the roots of other plants, so plan for a spacing of 1 m (3ft) from its neighbours. The graft should be buried at about twenty centimetres so that the plant gradually becomes independent from its rootstock. Watering should be abundant but spaced out every 8 to 15 days during the first two years, from March to September. Peonies are known to be homebodies and should not be moved after planting. Avoid pruning unless the base of the plant becomes bare. If that happens, prune at the level of the shoots from the base. Provide a stake to support the flower stems and remove faded flowers during the season.

16
€14.50 Each
6
€19.50

Planting period

Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Free-standing
Hardiness Hardy down to -18°C (USDA zone 7a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Ordinary but well-drained and fertile soil.

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
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