Peonies have elegant, generous flowers, they are either slow growing shrubs, or herbaceous perennials, both are hardy
Peony, Tree Peonies, Paeonia
Garden Plants
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Hardy herbaceous perennial or hardy woody shrub - tree peony
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Flowers: March - May
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Full sun
Peonies are a varied group of perennials that are grown for their large showy and sometimes fragrant blooms. They come in all shades of white, pink, red, orange and yellow, sometimes in bicolours and often with the showy yellow stamens providing a contrast at the centre, they flower in early summer.
Some are perennials and will die down to ground level each year in the autumn, others, the "tree peonies" are slow growing shrubs. Tree peonies are beautiful and impressive plants with a real grandeur, they grow slowly and live long lives, herbaceous peonies are also long-lived. Peonies are something of an extravagance in that they have a relatively short flowering period and occupy a largish area with their leaves after flowering to build up reserves for the next years show.
Buds may be damaged by late spring frosts in colder climates, so grow them in a sheltered area for this reason and not easterly facing as morning sun on newly frosted growth can be very damaging. The large heavy flowers may need support, so stake as necessary. The plants may be divided in early spring or autumn, spring being far preferable, root cuttings may be taken in winter. They resent disturbance, so don't be surprised by a flowerless year after division while they sulk for a while.
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