Peony Registry

Parentage unknown. Garden named “Sharon’s Blush”. Mid-late season blooming DOUBLE flowers are primarily a very light blush-pink transitioning to white, with some petals exhibiting a mottled pattern of light-pink speckles. Flowers are 15.25-18 cm (6-7”) in diameter, upward facing, and average three to four per stem. Guard petals are flat, slightly cupped, rounded, and notched. Highly fragrant; strong and pleasing. Carpels average three to five in number, are green, and carry pink stigmas of normal anatomy. No apparent stamens or pollen – any stamens are transformed into staminodes, linear in shape, pointed, and white in color; a collar hidden amid the other petallage. Disk is obscure. Seed fertility has not been noted. Plants carry green foliage, and reach 81.25-86.5 cm (32-34”) in height at maturity. Growth habit is upright; mechanical support is, however, beneficial, as the stems carry three to four sidebuds. Due to the absence of stamens and pollen, the cultivar stores quite well in refrigeration and is, resultantly, an excellent cut flower variety that would make for an unmatched addition to the cut-flower market. The cultivar received a Certificate of Merit at the 2024 American Peony Society Flower Show in Bloomington, Minnesota. A general consensus among attendees was that the cultivar would make a perfect bridal bouquet. Named in honor of Sharon Schmitz who, in 2024, was awarded the American Peony Society Medal for a lifetime of work. She is well-known for promoting the genus, growing a diverse array of cultivars, and sharing divisions of her peonies with numerous individuals and organizations.