Nosegay
This is among the first of the Saunders peonies to bloom and it is always covered in many small flowers held just slightly above the very attractive foliage – such a welcome sight in early May here. The flowers also clean off nicely. It is being evaluated by the American Peony Society for an Award of Landscape Merit.
Every garden should have a ‘Nosegay’ peony!
| Cultivar: | Nosegay |
| Year: | 1950 |
| Seedling No: | 15502. Page 103 of Saunders’ Notebook III |
| Parentage: | 18B: F2 of 6939, a ‘Playmate’ strain (mlokosewitschii X tenuifolia) |
| Flower: | Color: | light salmon-pink, fades to white |
| Form: | single, 3 1/2″ flowers | |
| Blooms: | Week 1 or 2 | |
| Carpels: | 2-4, rosy, very woolly | |
| Stigmas: | red | |
| Disc: | creamy white, obscure | |
| Stamens: | filaments wine-red at base, shading to white, short | |
| Plant: | Habit: | rounded bush |
| Foliage color: | medium green | |
| Foliage form: | finely divided leaves, lobed | |
| Height: | 30″ (reported), 29″ in 2022 | |
| Recommendation: | Highly recommended |
| Availability: | Most specialty nurseries |
‘Nosegay’ after bloom. Note how well the flowers clean off. This is the type of plant deserving of an Award of Landscape Merit by the American Peony Society.
