Paladin
This plant has excellent foliage and form, and generally provides an abundance of later season flowers. These were described as “glowing” by Silvia Saunders. It should be considered for an Award of Landscape Merit by the American Peony Society. It is one of my favorite red peonies.
The photo on the right shows both ‘Ludovica’ and ‘Paladin’.
| Cultivar: | Paladin |
| Year: | 1950 |
| Seedling No: | 9965. Page 22 of Saunders’ Notebook I |
| Parentage: | 7: lactiflora 1875 X “lobata of Perry” |
| Flower: | Color: | red, described as cerise red or carmine red |
| Form: | semi-double, 3 to 4 rows of petals | |
| Blooms: | Week 6 | |
| Carpels: | at least 4, pale yellowish green, woolly | |
| Stigmas: | bright dark pink | |
| Disc: | light pink | |
| Stamens: | filaments light yellow | |
| Plant: | Habit: | upright |
| Foliage color: | medium green | |
| Foliage form: | fairly narrow | |
| Height: | reported as dwarf but mine was 34″ in 2021 (average height) | |
| Recommendation: | Highly recommended |
| Availability: | Several specialty nurseries |
