Big, eye-catching blooms!
Tired of pink when it comes to your peonies? The orange buds of Misaka intersectional peony (Paeonia x ‘Smith Opus 1’) open to the peachy yellow, with a splash of deep pink, you see at left. Misaka’s flowers have a light fragrance and can be up to 8 inches across in full bloom.
Also called “Itohs,” easy-care intersectionals are a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies. The resulting hybrids have great traits from both plants: Fragrance, a wide range of flower colors, strong stems, cold-hardiness and good pest and disease resistance. These peonies don’t develop a woody stem but die to the ground where winters get cold.
For the most blooms, give Misaka plenty of sun. Another nice feature of this peony is its strong stems — staking isn’t usually needed. After flowers have finished, cut stems back to the first set of leaves to tidy up the plant and prevent it from forming seeds, which helps save energy.
Type Perennial
Blooms Peachy yellow with deep pink center splash in spring
Light Full sun to part shade
Soil Moist, well-drained
Size 20 to 30 in. tall and wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 4 to 8
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 8 to 1
Source Local garden centers or visit www.monrovia.com to find which garden centers in your area carry Monrovia plants.
