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Paeonia lactiflora ‘Dr. Alexander Fleming’ (Peony)

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AGM Award
Paeonia Lactiflora Dr. Alexander Fleming, Peony Dr. Alexander Fleming, Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony, Pink Flowers, Pink Peonies, Fragrant Peonies

One of Europe’s favorites, award-winner Peony ‘Dr. Alexander Fleming’ (Paeonia lactiflora) is ravishing and fabulously fragrant. It produces large, deep rose-pink double flowers, which fade to a paler pink towards the edges. ‘Dr. Alexander Fleming’ is a long-lasting Peony thanks to numerous side buds, which extend its blooming season. Beautiful in the garden, it also makes outstanding cut flowers.

  • Blooming heavily in late spring – early summer, this late midseason peony 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.
  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Reliable and vigorous, this herbaceous peony grows in a lush, bushy mound of glossy, deep green, divided foliage reaching up to 36 in. in height (90 cm) and 24-30 in. in spread (60-75 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.
  • Makes excellent cut flowers with a long vase life (over a week) if cut in the bud. Enjoy a magnificent bouquet of pink peonies at home!
  • Very useful and adaptable in the garden. Perfect as a specimen plant and in groups for borders and beds, city gardens, or cottage gardens. Ideal for bordering a walk or driveway and as an informal hedge. Plant your peonies away from trees or shrubs as peonies don’t like to compete for food and moisture. The enchanting peony flower combines beautifully with roses, bearded irises, and other perennials in striking color combinations.
  • Deer and rabbit resistant but attractive to butterflies!
  • Virtually pest free. Watch for honey fungus and peony wilt.
  • 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.

Peonies are a classic ingredient of the perennial border and have been in cultivation for over 2000 years. Beloved for their abundant blooms, the beauty of their exquisite flowers, their delightful fragrance, and their bold foliage changing shades over the seasons, peony flowers add a dazzling splash of color in the late spring and early summer garden. 

Peony: How to Grow and Care with Success


The Peony, a member of the Paeoniaceae family, is cherished for its large, fragrant blooms in shades of pink, red, white, and yellow. Native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America, peonies are long-lived perennials or shrubs, thriving in USDA zones 3-8. Their lush foliage and striking flowers make them garden favorites, ideal for borders, cut arrangements, and special occasions.

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials, Shrubs
Plant Family Paeoniaceae
Genus Paeonia
Common names Peony, Chinese Peony
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 30"
(60cm - 80cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Japanese Garden, Informal and Cottage, City and Courtyard
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Paeonia obovata (Woodland Peony)
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Minnie Shaylor’ (Peony)
Paeonia tenuifolia (Fernleaf Peony)
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Pillow Talk’ (Peony)
Paeonia ‘Lemon Chiffon’ (Peony)
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Moonstone’ (Peony)

Recommended Companion Plants

Geranium psilostemon (Armenian Cranesbill)
Paeonia ‘Kansas’ (Peony)
Digitalis purpurea (Common Foxglove)
Geranium x magnificum (Purple Cranesbill)
Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)
Allium ‘Globemaster’ (Ornamental Onion)
Campanula persicifolia (Peach-Leaved Bellflower)
Iris germanica (Bearded Iris)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Peonies and Companion Plants – Pink & Violet Theme
A Lovely Duo to Try: Peonies and Armenian Cranesbill
Pure White Flowers for a Touch of Elegance in Your Garden
30 Best Spring Flowers to Spruce up Your Garden
Peony Common Problems, Pests and Diseases
Peonies and Pollinators: A Dance in the Garden
November Birth Flower: What is my Birth Flower?
Paeonia (Peonies)
Coral Peonies For Your Garden
Peonies that Do Not Require Staking
Peony: How to Grow and Care with Success
Yellow Peonies per Blooming Season
White Peonies per Blooming Season
Pink Peonies per Blooming Season
Red Peonies per Blooming Season
Pretty Late Blooming Peonies for your Spring Garden
Midseason Peonies for your Spring Garden
Early Midseason Peonies for your Spring Garden
Pretty Early Blooming Peonies for your Spring Garden
Late Season Peonies for your Spring Garden
Late Midseason Peonies for your Spring Garden
Early Blooming Peonies for your Spring Garden
Very Early Blooming Peonies for your Spring Garden
Fragrant Peonies
Award-Winning Peonies
Peonies Resistant to Rain and Heat
Extend the Blooming Season of Your Peonies
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials, Shrubs
Plant Family Paeoniaceae
Genus Paeonia
Common names Peony, Chinese Peony
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 30"
(60cm - 80cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Japanese Garden, Informal and Cottage, City and Courtyard
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Paeonia (Peony)
Guides with
Paeonia (Peony)
Not sure which Paeonia (Peony) to pick?
Compare Now

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