Home / Education and Outreach / Interpretative Signs / Paeonia rockii

Paeonia rockii

---

Paeonia rockii (Paeoniaceae) is a rare and beautiful tree peony introduced to the West from southwest Gansu, China, by the plant hunter Joseph Rock.

Its huge, white or pink semi-double blooms have a maroon blotch at the base of each petal and a generous boss of yellow stamens enveloping the gynoecium and a nectar disk surrounding it. The gynoecium is composed of five separate carpels, fused at one end. When ripe, the expanded carpels form an aggregate of follicles, like a five-pointed jester's hat. Each splits to expose a double row of shiny black seeds. Viable seed is apparently only produced through cross-pollination (i.e., pollen from another individual of the same species).

---

• Home
• Education and Outreach
  • Garden & Community News
  • Courses and Lectures
  • Horticultural Extension
  • Interpretative Signs
  • Forums
  • Library
  • For Teachers and Parents
• Gardens and Plants
• Centre for Plant Research
• Plant Conservation
• For the Garden Visitor
• General Information
• Resources and Writings
• For Kids
• Support the Garden

Keep Informed

If you would like to receive a notice in the mail about upcoming UBC Botanical Garden courses and lectures, please send your name and postal address (including street address, city and postal code) in an email to the .

Hortline

The UBC Botanical Garden horticultural extension service is available by calling 604.822.9666 between the hours of 12pm and 3pm on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Maples

Maples is an online discussion forum all about the genus Acer. Topics include how to care for Japanese maples, identification of maple species and cultivars and controlling maple pests. Participants include members of the The Maple Society, a group of maple devotees and enthusiasts.