Paeony

[Calvin Becker]

There are a few un-named tree Paeony that grow at the botanical gardens at the university in Pietermaritzurg. I took these pictures in August 2009 when they were in flower. I haven't done any research trying to locate a name for them. Could anybody help with their ID please?

[Gail]

Hi Calvin,
Identifying peonies from photos is really difficult; the flowers can be quite variable in shape and colour, depending on growing and weather conditions and the maturity of the plant.  Your pink one is probably a form of P. suffruticosa but whether it is a named cultivar or a seedling I couldn't say - there are lots of cultivars.  (See http://www.pivoinesriviere.com/index.php?cPath=24)

Without being able to see the leaves and the centre of the flower, I wouldn't like to even have a guess at the white one.

There is a new monograph of the peony species due out next month from Kew Books. http://www.kewbooks.com/asps/ShowDetails.asp?id=844

[Calvin Becker]

Gail

Thanks for your attempt at giving the plants an ID. When they flower at the end of our winter again I'll have a look at them in closer detail.