Paeonia mascula; with a wide geographical range; Mediterranean to S.E. Asia, this herbaceous species produces carmine red flowers that are stuffed full of yellow anthers. A worthwhile member of the genus to cultivate. Depending on provenance flower colour can range white – pink – red. There is wild collected material from Cyprus represented in the collection.

Paeonia wilt, Botrytis paeoniae, can be seen in the attached image. Grey mould colonises soft brown areas of rot which occur at the base of the stems. This grey mould will then gradually colonise all plant surfaces. Remove and ideally burn all infected vegetation, ideally scraping off the soil in the area where the spores may have dropped to. In autumn good hygiene will prevent the disease from carrying through to the following year.

Paeonia wilt

Paeonia mascula