Not one to overlook a mystery, HFP contributor and horticulturist Allen Bush kindly asked a friend at the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno for help identifying this Czech peony. We posted several weeks back that this gorgeous flower was in blooming all over Southern Moravia and Southern Bohemia.

Markéta Kindlova writes:

Dear Allen,

...I sent the picture to Průhonice, where is the biggest
collection of paeonies in Czech republic (as far as I know) and Dr.
Blažek wrote me, that it is Paeonia officinalis ´Rubra Plena.´ It is
earlier (about 2 weeks) than P. lactiflora and in most of regions in
Czech it flowers about mid of May. It has also broader leaves than P.
lactiflora and is widely spread. He wrote, that in the cathedral windows
it should be also this Paeonia offcinalis Rubra Plena.

Yours sincerely,

Markéta Kindlova
Botanical Gardens and Arboretum
Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno
Brno, Czech Republic

Many thanks, Allen and Markéta!

Paeonia officinalis ´Rubra Plena, in Třebíč, Czech Republic, May 2009
Photo: Human Flower Project