Reward
Saunders was very impressed with this plant, writing about it over a several year period: “June 1, 1934 Grand black single. Extremely promising. Not like Challenger. 1938 The most beautiful dark red single there is. 1940 Very glossy, not very shapely.”
It was very impressive in 2021, a year when many peonies performed more poorly than in 2020.
| Cultivar: | Reward |
| Year Registered: | 1941 |
| Seedling No: | 10979. Page 17 of Saunders’ Notebook I |
| Parentage: | 6: lactiflora 2274 X officinalis Decora 6540 |
| Flower: | Color: | dark maroon- an unusual color |
| Form: | single, petals crinkled and fringed, somewhat irregular | |
| Blooms: | Week 4 | |
| Carpals: | 5, pale green, slightly woolly | |
| Stigmas: | maroon (self) | |
| Disc: | bright pink, conspicuous | |
| Stamens: | filaments short, red at base, shading to yellow | |
| Plant: | Habit: | upright |
| Foliage color: | slightly darker green | |
| Foliage form: | narrow, crinkled leaves | |
| Height: | 25″, reported; 28″ in 2021 | |
| Recommendation: | Recommended |
| Availability: | Few specialty nurseries |
