Description
(syn. Paeonia abchasica).
When the plants from which this stock derives were first found, they were determined to be P. wittmanniana subspecies wittmanniana. Subsequently it was argued (and indeed strongly insisted by one authority) that it was in fact subspecies macrophylla (“large-leaved”) unfortunately that “expert” was wrong and it is in fact subspecies wittmanniana as it was originally identified.
This is one of our rarest offerings and one which is hardly in cultivation. In fact in the recent studies of Hong et.al., wittmanniana itself has been reclassified as a subspecies of daurica, but this position is not totally accepted by all and in fact the status of many of these narrowly endemic Caucasian and Iranian species is still subject to a lot of debate. Regardless of argument and expertise, this stock is true to our original offerings and also to the collection number of Reinhard Suckow all those years ago. This is RS 72.78, call it what you will, but we are not changing the name yet again after this!
A magnificent plant with large heavy textured flowers of pure ivory-white, with yellow anthers and ruby-red pistils. 50-70 cm tall and one of the most stunning of the endemic Caucasian species. Known only from a handful of localities near Sotschi. Originally found at 500 m, in Fagus/Quercus (Beech-Oak) forest, mixed with Castanea sativa, (Sweet Chestnut) in 1978 by Reinhardt Suckow (RS 72.78).
These are mature divisions and like most Paeonia divisions, they will need a season to settle after transplanting, but we only ever have a VERY few, every few years at the most, but I say again, this is one of the most beautiful of all Paeonia.
