Herbaceous peony Paeonia hybrids

Peonies are woody,semi-woody or herbaceous perennials in the peony family (Paeoniaceae) often planted for their very large, showy flowers. Some cultivars are fragrant. Most species originate in Asia, but some species are found in Europe and around the Mediterranean Basin. Two species (not in cultivation) are native to western North America. Paeonia is the classical Greek name for peony.

Peonies do well in full sun to light shade and prefer deep, fertile soils that are well-drained.  Locate them in an area that gets good air circulation, not up against a home or a wall. They like some afternoon shade and will require quite a bit of water in the early part of the growing season to establish their leaves and flower buds. They can take quite a while to establish and often will not produce flowers for the first year or two after transplanting. Once established, however, plants can live for decades. Each plant will bloom for about 7–10 days in the late spring to early summer so planting a variety of peonies with staggered bloom time will help extend the season. They can be divided in the fall and spread around the landscape. Plants may require support for large, double flowers especially if they become wet with rain. The foliage remains attractive through the summer until fall. 

Peonies grow well in the mountains and cooler Piedmont but languish in warm areas where their chilling requirement is difficult to meet. They do best in zones 5–7 but can grow in zones 3–8. If you are in a warm area, plant low-chill types, do not plant the crowns more than one inch deep, and do not apply mulch in the winter, as it can act like an insulating blanket. Overly shaded sites can inhibit flowering. This plant is outcompeted by tree roots when planted close to trees.

There are three general classes of peonies: Herbaceous peonies (derived from Paeonia lactiflora) die back completely during the winter. Tree peonies are deciduous shrubs with woody stems. Itoh hybrids (hybrids between tree and herbaceous peonies) are deciduous and have short woody stems that bear new leaves in spring.

Cultivars recommended for Zone 8 (or colder) include the following:

'Baroness Schroeder', 'Miss America', 'Duchesse de Nemours', 'Festiva Maxima', and 'Shirley Temple' (white flowers); 'Felix Crousse', 'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Karl Rosenfield', 'Kansas' and 'Monsieur Jules Elie' (pink flowers); 'Buckeye Belle', 'Red Charm' and 'Ole Faithful' (red flowers); 'Flame', 'Soft Salmon Saucer', 'Pink Hawaiian Coral', 'Coral Charm' and 'Coral Sunset' (coral pink flowers).

Often utilized as a specimen plant, in massing, and as cut flowers. Cultivars with single flowers and masses of pollen can be grown in pollinator gardens. Tree peonies and Itoh hybrids are good choices for Asian gardens, while smaller cultivars of herbaceous peonies are suitable for rock gardens.

Quick ID Hints:

• Herbs with gigantic flowers of various colors
• Flowers multi-petaled, with many stamens and 3 or more separate carpels.
• Leaves pinnately compound.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Ants may be present on flower buds but are totally harmless. Shake flowers to dislodge insects before bringing them inside. Good air circulation discourages fungal diseases. An unidentified bud-boring insect (probably a moth larvae) is present in the NC and may destroy some flower buds. The plants are shunned by deer.