Little Dorrit
Lyman Cousins and Samuel Wissing are generally credited with introducing the first coral or salmon colored peonies. Their introductions do indeed come from similar parentage as ‘Little Dorrit’ but I think she got here first. This peony may prove difficult to grow and certainly is not a fast increaser, leading to few nurseries continuing to offer it. My plant has done quite well and although I’d prefer it to be located about 2 feet away from its current spot, I certainly wouldn’t dare move it.
| Cultivar: | Little Dorrit |
| Year: | 1949 |
| Seedling No: | 9002. Page 56 of Saunders’ Notebook III |
| Parentage: | 22: officinalis Rosea Plena X “lobata of Perry” |
| Flower: | Color: | “curious opaque salmon” (Saunders); “smoked salmon” (Silvia Saunders) |
| Form: | single, round petals, small flowers | |
| Blooms: | Week 5 | |
| Carpels: | 2, green, woolly | |
| Stigmas: | deep pink | |
| Disc: | white | |
| Stamens: | filaments pink at base, shading to light yellow | |
| Plant: | Habit: | rounded bush |
| Foliage color: | medium green | |
| Foliage form: | terminal leaf of leaflet usually lobed | |
| Height: | dwarf, 25″ in 2021 | |
| Recommendation: | Highly recommended if you can find it |
| Availability: | Rare and pricey |
