'FORBIDDEN CITY' 紫金城 Tree Peony (Paeonia x suffruticosa 'zi jin cheng/forbidden city')

NEW FOR FALL 2024. GROWN and IMPORTED directly from HEZE, SHANDONG, CHINA!

紫金城 ; Zi Jin Cheng. Forbidden City.

The Shandong region of China has been cultivating mudan (tree peonies) for over three thousand years! Champlain Peony Company is pleased to present this lovely 'King of Flowers' from China's ancient peony capital in very limited edition.

Mudan 'Zi Jin Cheng' or 'Forbidden City', sports a dark rosy-purple, semi-double blossom at the terminus of every branch. This modest-sized blossom is a crown of delicate, dusky petals each with a dark-purple flare that brings mesmerizing visual depth. When fully open the stamen can be appreciated for their golden yellow contrast. Only a very few plants are available AND you will not be finding this cultivar in your neighbors garden anytime soon...unless they beat you to this beauty!

USDA Zones 4-8 would be very successful zones for this peony. It can tolerate somewhat warmer areas than most other peonies. Where they are grown in Shandong, China is similar to the American interior mid-Atlantic and mid-western regions with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers. Typical winter low temps are in the teens Fahrenheit with dips into single digits and with summer temps often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It will likely thrive in our more Southern growing zones if attention is paid to afternoon shade and deep mulching to keep the ground cool and moist.

Bare roots are available for shipping in late-fall and winter only. Tree peonies are sold by the branch number and not by the 'eye' as herbaceous and intersectional peonies. Tree peonies are also excellent choices for container grown specimens on your patios and decks. 

Zones 4-8

Grafted bare root trees with 3 or more 12"-18" branches.

We do not ship potted peonies.