Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Green Lotus')

Overview

The Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ stands out in the garden with its unusual and captivating bloom color. This herbaceous perennial Peony provides structural interest long after its mid-season flowering concludes, offering reliable performance year after year. Gardeners value this specific cultivar for its unique pale lime green flowers accented with soft pink and bright yellow centers, contrasting beautifully with its deep green foliage.

As a shrub-like perennial, the Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ reliably dies back to the ground after the first hard frost, only to re-emerge in spring. It thrives when given consistent moisture during its active growth phase and reliably blooms when provided with its required cold winter dormant season, making it a cherished, long-lived fixture in temperate landscapes.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Paeoniaceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 2-2.5 ft
  • Spread: 2-2.5 ft
• Bloom Time: May
• Bloom Description: Pale lime green with pink overtones and yellow centers
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Water Needs: Medium
• Maintenance Level: Medium

How to Grow

Planting should occur when the rootstock eyes are positioned about 2 inches below the soil surface. Ideal locations provide rich, fertile, medium-moisture, well-drained soil. While Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ prefers full sun, a little part afternoon shade is beneficial in extremely hot summer climates to prevent scorching. Incorporate compost before planting to ensure optimal soil structure and nutrient levels for this long-lived Peony.

Watering needs are critical early in the growing season; maintain medium moisture levels consistently as the plant establishes and prepares to bloom. Maintenance is generally low once established; these plants do not require frequent division and do best when left undisturbed for many years. Annual removal of spent flowers just after bloom helps maintain garden neatness.

In the fall, once frost has occurred, cut the foliage back to the ground and remove it from the garden area to prevent overwintering diseases. Especially in areas lacking reliable snow cover, applying mulch over the root zone will insulate the plant and ensure it receives the necessary cold dormant period required for robust flowering the following spring.

Landscape Uses

Peonies, including the distinctive Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’, are foundational elements for traditional perennial borders. They perform exceptionally well as specimen plants where their unique blooms can be admired, or grouped together to create a striking herbaceous hedge along structures like fences or walkways. Their structure remains upright and attractive throughout the summer, serving as an excellent, substantial frame or backdrop for shorter, later-season perennials.

Due to their size (2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide), these plants work well near the center or rear of middle-ground borders, preventing smaller plants from being completely obscured. Since flowers last about 7-10 days, consider planting varieties with staggered bloom times to extend the overall color display across the entire 6-week peony season.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy
• Fragrant

Noteworthy Characteristics

The cultivar ‘Green Lotus’ is an herbaceous Peony that typically reaches 26-28 inches tall before blooming in mid-season, usually late May. Its distinctive single blooms are often compared to cactus or dahlia types, showcasing pale lime green petals that gain soft pink edges, centered by contrasting yellow stamens. The deep green foliage remains attractive well into the fall until frost causes it to die back to the ground, and it makes an excellent cut flower choice.

Tolerances

• Rabbit
• Deer

Potential Problems

Peonies are generally pest-free, though diseases like Botrytis blight and Phytophthora can occasionally appear, especially in overly damp or poorly drained soils—ensure excellent drainage for your Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’. Ants gathering on the buds are completely harmless and should be ignored. If your Peony fails to flower, verify planting depth (eyes should be 2” deep), sun exposure, and confirm the plant is mature enough, as recently moved plants often skip blooming for a season. Large blooms on some cultivars may require staking, as heavy rain can weigh the stems toward the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Peony suitable for?

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ is best suited for USDA Zones 3 through 8, though performance is typically optimal in Zones 5-7.

How large does Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ grow?

This herbaceous perennial typically reaches a height between 2 to 2.5 feet and spreads to a similar width of 2 to 2.5 feet at maturity.

When does Peony bloom?

The bloom time for this specific Peony cultivar is May, featuring blooms described as pale lime green with pink overtones and yellow centers.

What sun exposure does Peony need?

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ requires full sun to partial shade for the best flowering performance.

Conclusion

For a reliable, long-lived perennial that offers truly unique coloration among spring-blooming ornamentals, the Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ is an outstanding selection. Its showy, subtly fragrant flowers anchor the late spring garden, supported by handsome green foliage throughout the summer. Before planting, confirm your garden site offers the required conditions, especially correct planting depth and adequate sun exposure, to ensure years of spectacular performance from this classic Peony.

Companion Planting

When selecting neighbors for your Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’, focus on plants that share similar cultural needs, particularly a preference for rich, well-drained soil and medium water requirements. Since the Peony blooms relatively early (May), pairing it with summer-blooming perennials helps mask the plant as its foliage potentially yellows slightly later in the season. Excellent companions include Nepeta, ornamental Salvias, or Geraniums, whose lower growth habit provides ground cover around the base of the developing Peony clump. Avoid planting shallow-rooted annuals or vegetables too close, as Peonies dislike root competition near their base.

Design Ideas for Mid-Season Blooms

The 2 to 2.5-foot stature of this shrub-like perennial makes it perfect for layering within mixed borders. Use Paeonia lactiflora ‘Green Lotus’ in drift groupings of three or five plants along a pathway where its unusual pale lime color can be appreciated up close. In formal settings, plant them in straight lines to act as an elegant herbaceous screen or border accent. For a more cottage garden feel, intersperse them among taller stocks or delphiniums; ensure you provide necessary support for the taller neighbors, which often helps brace the Peony stems indirectly.