Paeonia ‘Claire de Lune’ (Peony)

One of the earliest peonies to flower in the spring, ‘Claire de Lune’ is a very popular Hybrid Peony. It features slightly crinkled, nicely rounded, creamy-yellow to ivory guard petals surrounding a center packed with bright golden-yellow stamens and orange filaments in their center. It has large hairy carpels with pink tips. The single blossoms of ‘Claire de Lune’ are borne on nicely contrasting reddish stems. It took over 500 crosses every year for 8 years to achieve this beautiful creamy-yellow Peony!

• Blooming in late spring – early summer, this very early season peony will resist well in the rain and will flower for approximately 7-10 days.
  You may want to plant other cultivars with staggered bloom times (there are early, mid, and late blooming varieties) to extend your peonies season to up to 6 weeks.
• Reliable and vigorous, this herbaceous peony grows in a lush, bushy mound of glossy, mid-green, divided foliage reaching up to 28 in. in height (70 cm) and 24-36 in. in spread (60-90 cm). The foliage remains attractive throughout summer until frost and often colors up in the fall.
• Enjoys full sun or part shade in rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Peony plants grow best in full sun but will tolerate some light afternoon shade. Provide a sheltered location. Staking may be required as the large peony flowers tend to arch toward the ground and may be driven to the ground by a hard rain.
• Deer and rabbit resistant but attractive to butterflies!
• Virtually pest free. Watch for honey fungus and peony wilt.
• Very useful and adaptable in the garden. Perfect as a specimen plant or in groups for borders and beds, city gardens, or cottage gardens. Ideal for bordering a walk or driveway and as an informal hedge. Makes excellent cut flowers with a long vase life (over a week) if cut in bud. Enjoy a magnificent bouquet of white peonies at home! Plant your peonies away from trees or shrubs as peonies don’t like to compete for food and moisture.
• Low maintenance. Remove spent flowers as they fade, then cut back the plant after the foliage has died down in the fall. Long-lived (peonies may live up to 50 years!), the plants do not need to be divided and can be left undisturbed for years. Peonies do not respond well to transplanting, so choose your planting location carefully.
• The best time to plant peonies is in early fall, so they will have time to become established in the soil before winter. They do not flower during the first year of planting and may take up to two years to produce their showy, fragrant blooms.
• All parts of the plant may cause stomach discomfort if consumed.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.