Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella'

For years the Holy Grail of serious gardeners, this Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' from master breeder Roger Anderson sold for more than $1,000 a division as late as 1999, but today is mercifully much more affordable! Yet no other Peony has surpassed it for beauty, fragrance, or sheer flower power, and we doubt any will. With blooms measuring 9 inches across, fully double and redolent of zesty lemon, Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' would be remarkable even if it didn't have the vigor to produce more than 80 flowers a season on a single plant.

The flowers are simply magnificent, whorled like a rose but far longer-lasting and much larger. The outer layers are a creamy meringue, becoming more richly yellow toward the center, where hints of a red base (the "flares" characteristic of Tree Peonies) are visible as the bloom unfolds to its fullest extent. Absolutely superior to others as a cut-flower, Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' last for several weeks in the vase, their scent remaining as fresh and enticing as their petals. A single plant will perfume the garden and keep your vases full . . . but at this very special pricing, who would plant just one?

Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' is an intersectional or Itoh hybrid, a very special class of Peonies with parentage from both Tree and Herbaceous species. Blooming in between the Tree Peonies and their Herbaceous cousins, Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' offers a range of superior traits: shrubby habit, fragrance, luscious bloom color and larger bloom size, excellent resistance to Peony Blight, tolerance of heat, humidity, cold, and poor soil, and extended bloom season.

Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' reaches about 3 feet high and wide in sun or light shade. It is untroubled by rabbits or deer, and is quite long-lived, blooming dependably for decades. Peonies are very slow to propagate (hence their high price) but are quite low maintenance once planted in the garden. They flower in late spring or early summer, and often need plant supports to hold up their bounty of huge blooms. Although most frequently used as a cut flower, they are a delightful garden presence as well, the flowers holding for weeks. Discover the joy of this old-fashioned flower with modern vigor, longevity, and bloom strength! And please reserve your 'Bartzella' early. At this price, Paeonia Itoh 'Bartzella' will not see out the season!

Zones 3-8