Chinese Tree Paeonia rockii

A new Chinese tree Peony for the front garden, could not pass it up. Took me about 30 minutes to make up my mind about purchasing it. I do not know why that happened............You have had that feeling where you knew if you did not buy it you would hate yourself later. When I first spotted it, I bent down to see if there was any fragrance which was amazing of sweet and spice. The flower is large about 6" across, gorgeous, and the palest of pink with the dark center. The stamens are a wonderful color of golden yellow and contrast beautifully against the dark center. The tree itself is about 2+ ft. tall and about as wide.  

The peony is named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek God of medicine and healing. Asclepius became jealous of his pupil; Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower.

 

The tree peony Paeonia rockii is indigenous to the Gansu province and surrounding areas in Northwest China. Paeonia rockii is named after the American Botanical adventurer Joseph Rock who introduced it to the West in the 1920s. Since it first came to the attention of American gardeners it has been highly prized and sought after, just as it has been in its native land for centuries. The peony is one of the longest-used flowers in ornamental culture of China. Once established they are drought tolerant and require very little care. 

USDA hardiness zone 3 to zone 9