Paeonia 'Madame Calot'

Paeonia 'Madame Calot' is a hardy deciduous perennial offering late spring to early summer interest. An heirloom cultivar developed in France and first introduced in 1856, the plant sets gorgeous rose-type, light pink, fully double blooms with creamy tints on petal edges and flecks of crimson toward the darker center. Borne singly on long, erect, red-tinged stems, the large, very fragrant blooms attract butterflies and make excellent cuts for romantic floral bouquets.

Typical of Paeonia lactiflora, commonly known as common garden peony or Chinese peony, 'Madame Calot' is a clump-forming herbaceous plant. It has a rounded, shrubby habit of glossy green foliage divided into oval to lance-shaped leaflets and a fast growth rate. This peony makes a beautiful specimen but is shown to best effect when grouped or massed in mixed beds and borders. It's a lovely back drop for spring bulbs and a good companion plant for hydrangea, philadelphus, campanula, echinacea, and phlox.

Easy to grow and low maintenance, Paeonia 'Madame Calot' prefers full sun to part shade and rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil but tolerates clay soil. It appreciates some afternoon shade, especially in hot summer climates, and should be sheltered from strong winds and watered regularly, more often in extreme heat. Deer and rabbit resistant.