Peony ‘Bartzella’
* Common name: Peony ‘Bartzella’
Peony ‘Bartzella’ in bloom.
* Botanical name: Paeonia x ‘Bartzella’
* What it is: One of the showiest new plant creations that resulted when breeder Roger Anderson managed to cross a tree peony with a herbaceous one, resulting in this bushy perennial that produces huge, double-petaled, 9-inch-wide flowers in an unusual peony color of bright yellow with red shades in the throats.
Flowers have a mild lemon-spice fragrance and last for weeks from late spring into early summer. Foliage is narrow, dissected, and emerges reddish in spring. Seldom bothered by animals, including deer.
* Size: 3 feet tall and wide.
* Where to use: Show off ‘Bartzella’ in any prominent sunny to mostly sunny bed or border. Impressive enough to use as a single-plant specimen. Cut flowers are also impressive in a vase.
* Care: Fertilize in early spring with a granular, organic or long-acting flower fertilizer. Spent flowers can be snipped off. Pull off or snip off any discolored foliage during the growing season, then cut all foliage to the ground when frost kills it in fall.
Water weekly to establish the roots the first year, then water needed only in dry spells or if plant shows any signs of wilting.
* Great partner: Pairs well with dark-leafed shrubs, such as ninebark, diervilla Kodiak Black, or elderberry Black Lace. Red switchgrass is a nice textural partner.