Digging deeperPlant Library

Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Description:

This luxurious variety will create a dramatic late spring display in garden and border plantings; stunning, pink double blooms with a lavender cast, and curled inner petals, giving them a ruffled appearance; an excellent cut flower

Ornamental Features

Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony features bold fragrant pink flowers with lavender overtones and gold eyes at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its compound leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony is an herbaceous perennial with a more or less rounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. The flower stalks can be weak and so it may require staking in exposed sites or excessively rich soils. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.