Paeonia lactiflora 'Monsieur Jules Elie'

Monsieur Jules Elie Garden Peony

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ is a classic heirloom herbaceous peony with very large, fragrant, double rose-pink flowers. The blooms have broad guard petals and a raised, incurved center with a silvery-pink sheen, creating a full crown/bomb-style form. It grows as an upright, bushy clump with light to dark green divided foliage. The American Peony Society describes it as very free-flowering and one of the most popular peonies, especially effective as a cut flower.

Type: Herbaceous perennial peony
Mature Size: 30–36 in. wide × 30–40 in. tall
USDA Zones: 3a–8b
Form: Upright, bushy, clumping perennial; tall stems may need support
   Soil / Water: Fertile, rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil; avoid wet, poorly drained sites
Bloom Time / Length: Late spring to early summer; early-season to early-summer bloom, usually about 7–10 days
Wildlife: Fragrant flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects; generally deer and rabbit resistant

Features & Landscape Uses:
Excellent for cutting gardens, cottage gardens, perennial borders, heirloom gardens, specimen planting, mass planting, and mixed sunny beds. ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ is especially valued for its large fragrant pink blooms, old-fashioned flower form, and long-standing popularity. RHS lists it as an herbaceous perennial to about 1 meter tall with fragrant, double, deep rose-pink flowers about 20 cm across in early summer.

Care:
Plant peony eyes about 1–2 inches below the soil surface; planting too deeply can reduce flowering. Provide good air circulation and water at the base when possible. Use a peony ring or support cage early in spring because the large double flowers can bend after rain. Remove spent flowers after bloom, leave foliage through summer to feed the roots, then cut stems to the ground after frost in fall and remove old foliage from the garden.

Plant type

Perennial

Height

32"

Width

36"

Hardiness zones

3–8

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Slow

Bloom time

Early Summer, Late Spring

Flower color

Pink

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Attracts

Butterflies

Soil

Moist well-drained, Rich

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Border, Container, Foundation, Mass Planting

Shape

Clump, Compact, Upright

Fragrant

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No