Frances

This peony appears among the APS registrations, but no date is given.  The tinges of green often seen on the petals could be considered a fault but can help in its identification.  Silvia Saunders wrote of a “warm glowing heart” referring to the masses of golden stamens on a fairly open flower.

There are also references in her notebook to a Frances I and a Frances II so there may be two forms being sold under the same name.

 

 

 

Cultivar: Frances
Year: 1965 is the first appearance in a Saunders Nursery Catalogue
Seedling No: 8167. Page 2 of Saunders’ Notebook I
Parentage: 25: lactiflora X 1468 (officinalis ‘Sabini’  X macrophylla)

 

Flower: Color: rose pink, white flares on backs of petals, sometimes green tinged
Form: single, 8 petals
Blooms: Week 4 or 5
Carpels: 2-3, green, glabrous
Stigmas: dark pink
Disc: white, prominent
Stamens: filaments red at base, shading to yellow
Plant: Habit: rounded bush
Foliage color: medium green, shining
Foliage form: pointed leaves, somewhat incurved or fluted
Height: 30″ in 2021

 

Recommendation: Recommended
Availability: Rare