Paeonia rockii, 'Noblewoman' Chinese rockii tree peony

Name in Chinese and pin yin: 貴夫人 Gui Fu Ren

Notable characteristics: This rockii tree peony has rouge, flared, parchment white petals swirling from a distinctive center to form a luscious double form blossom. Deer resistant. Herbicide, pesticide, and fungicide free. Grown in Connecticut.

Hybridizer: Chen Dezhong of the Peace Peony Garden in Lanzhou, Gansu province, China.

Growth habit and size at maturity (10 years old): Upright, flowers held well above the foliage. Grows to 4' tall and 4' wide.

Flower form and size: Double, 8-10". Will bloom in the lotus form when young.

Flower fragrance: Intense, spicy-sweet.

Bloom time: Mid-season rockii, blooms in our USDA zone 6a garden in the last week of May and first week of June.

Zone hardiness: Proven in USDA zones 4-9. P. rockii cultivars are particularly drought resistant once established. We have had reports from gardeners in Texas that this variety has grown and bloomed well during the last two years of extreme drought and heat.

Plant size: 1 year old tree peonies have at least 1 woody stem and a proportional root system. This size plant will most likely flower its second spring in the ground.

2 yr old plants are larger, with 1-2 woody stems and a dense root system. Likely to have a few blooms the first spring after planting.