Paeonia lactiflora 'Dinner Plate'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Dinner Plate' lives up to its name with impressively large flowers that can reach a diameter comparable to a dinner plate. This beautiful peony blooms early to mid-season and is an absolute eye-catcher in any border. The richly filled, soft pink to salmon-pink flowers combine a romantic appearance with a delightful, delicate fragrance, making 'Dinner Plate' a favorite among lovers of classic peonies.

The enormous, fully double flowers have a lush shape and consist of countless silky petals. The subtle color gradient from soft pink to salmon pink gives the flowers a warm, elegant appearance that harmonizes beautifully with the deep green, finely cut leaves. Furthermore, during flowering, the flowers emit a pleasant, sweet fragrance that enriches the garden and creates a delightful atmosphere indoors as well.

Despite the impressive flower size, Paeonia lactiflora 'Dinner Plate' possesses sturdy stems that provide excellent support for the heavy flowers. As a result, the flowers remain beautifully upright, and support is usually not necessary. Furthermore, the combination of strong stems and large flowers makes this cultivar particularly suitable as a cut flower. In a vase, the flowers open beautifully and remain attractive for a long time, making them ideal for luxury bouquets and floral arrangements.

This hardy perennial grows best in a sunny to lightly shaded location in well-drained, nutritious, and humus-rich soil. Once well established, 'Dinner Plate' requires little maintenance and can continue growing in the same spot for decades. Year after year, the plant develops into an increasingly large and richly flowering clump, causing its ornamental value to only increase.

In the border, Paeonia lactiflora 'Dinner Plate' combines excellently with blue salvias, lavender, lady's mantle, delphinium, and ornamental grasses. It also forms a beautiful ensemble next to white or dark pink peonies, where the soft salmon-pink flowers stand out even more.

With its gigantic, wonderfully fragrant flowers, strong stems, and romantic color, Paeonia lactiflora 'Dinner Plate' is an exclusive peony that displays spectacular blooms every spring and remains a showpiece in the garden for years.