Paeonia ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’

This wonderful Itoh peony, a cross between an herbaceous and a tree peony, almost certainly has the most unusual name of any: Peony ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’. And it’s probably incorrectly spelt more often than not! It is also a rare and highly sought-after plant, that produces some of the most impressive blooms of any Itoh peony. Big, showy, semi-double blooms grow to 15cm across, and are coloured a soft, creamy yellow with a pink blush, which darkens slightly at the edges of the petals to form a subtle outline.

Each mature Peony ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’ plant, which reaches a height of 70cm, can yield up to 50 blooms per year. The flowers are displayed well, on upright- to slightly-arching stems. There is also a mild, but pleasing fragrance, which brings in pollinators.  Itoh Paeonia ‘Scrumdiddleumptious’ is a mid- to late-season peony variety, which means that its best show will be in late spring and early summer. It will make the perfect companion to the dark blues and purples of Siberian irises.