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Flower Form Definitions |
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We follow the flower form classifications of the American Peony Society for the cultivar descriptions. The flower anatomy variations are inherited and are generally constant within the plants of a cultivar. Please note, however, state of growth of the flowering stems will limit flower size—fewer petals and less advanced development of inherent form in young plants, for example. Thus the bigger stems generally have the more fully developed flowers, the thinner stems, lesser flowers.
Japanese: This form is similar to Singles except all of the stamens are transformed —also called “all-over transformation”—into staminodes, petal-like segments which retain some of the yellow color of the pollen sacs but normally do not release pollen. For breeders, all-over transformation is inherited as a recessive. (Item 1853 Garden Lace Pictured)
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Single: One or more
rows of large petals surround a band or row of natural, pollen bearing
stamens, centered by a cluster of seed bearing structures, the carpels,
usually topped by the natural, pollen-receiving stigmas. (Item
1819 Fairfield Pictured)
Anemone: Also
similar to Singles and Japanese forms, except the stamen segments are
further transformed into slender petals, called petalodes, often near the
same hue as the guard petals. This form is less constant, inasmuch as
lesser advancement of the center segments may result in near Japanese form
staminodes. Greater advancement may result in larger center segments and
a Bomb form. Exhibitions usually call for Anemone and Japanese forms to
be judged together in the same classes. (Item 0688 Show Girl
Pictured)
Bomb (or Bomb
Double): Technically, the anatomy is the same as the singles, except the
center petals, while smaller than the larger outer petals, have the same
texture and color density. Ideally, the center segments form a neatly
tailored ball or mound—the “bomb”, said to have been adopted from “bombe”
the name of a molded frozen desert popular after World War I. The bomb is
small as the flower bud first opens and grows dramatically larger as the
flower matures. Rarely, a cultivar that has two stage-double anatomy but
also forms a neatly tailored “bomb” is exhibited in this class, notably
Mme de Verneville. (Item 1298 Many Happy Returns Pictured)
Double, (or Full
Double): This is the classic flower-in-flower peony form, sometimes
described as “two-stage double”—some actually triple-stage—resulting in
the most massive of peony flowers. Some of these also have the “all-over”
stamen transformation of the Bombs, where no stamens can be found in the
depths of the flower. When the individual instead carries “progressive
transformation” of the stamen segments, there will be a more or less thin
circle of natural stamens seen defining the inner margin of each component
flower. Only rarely will carpels useable for breeding be found in these
more massive flowers. Traditionally, pollen bearing stamens, when their
presence is obvious, have been “frowned upon” for the doubles show
classes. 
Semi-Double: Also a
flower-in-flower form, particularly in the Lactifloras, always having
progressive stamen transformation, having a lesser quantity of inner
petals and greater proportion of natural, pollen-bearing stamens. This
results in a sufficiently large component of yellow stamens that their
yellow color is a prominent factor in the flower color. Oddly, perhaps,
when a flower of this anatomy contains yellow staminodes instead of
stamens, it may look similar, but does not meet the “pollen bearing
stamens always prominent” condition of the Semi-Doubles classes. When an
exhibition follows the rules, these end up a novelty in the Doubles
classes. (Item 1865 Sandra Marie Pictured)