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Best peonies to grow for beautiful flowers



Add romance to your garden or landscape with spectacular peonies. These long-lived perennials produce large, fragrant flowers in striking colors in spring and early summer. They attract butterflies and other pollinators and make great cut flowers — and they're the best flowers of 2024 according to 1-800-Flowers.


The three main types of peonies are herb, tree and ido. Herbaceous peony (Peonia lactiflora) is the most common variety. It dies back to the ground in winter and grows again in spring. The tree (or deciduous) peony grows from a woody stem-like base, and the Itoh peony is a hybrid of the first two types.


1. America



A bold, award-winning cultivar since 1976, Peonia lactiflora 'America' offers single, crimson-red flowers that reveal yellow centers in early to mid-spring. The plant has an upright habit, beautiful flowers, and a vigorous grower.


2. Bartzella


Golden-yellow peonies are as rare as they are beautiful. A new Ido peony from the 1980s, Peonia x 'Bartzella' offers 6- to 8-inch golden-yellow flowers with a light red center and lemon scent in late spring or early summer.


3. Better Times



A classic from the 1940s, Paeonia lactiflora 'Better Times' offers bright pink flowers on tall stems in mid to late season. The plant is very attractive, and its 6-inch flowers make especially good cut flowers.


4. Big Ben


Peonia lactiflora 'Big Ben' is a beautiful and easy-to-grow heirloom selection from 1943. This early peony is a herbaceous perennial that produces 4- to 5-inch, fully double, rose-red flowers with great fragrance. This plant has amazing vigor and does well in the garden every year.


5. Blaze



A reliable and vigorous herb performer with bright red flowers, Peonia lactiflora 'Blaze' produces 6-inch flowers early in the season that are perfect for cutting. Bright color stands out in garden and flower arrangements. 'Blaze' is better suited to mild-winter areas than many other peonies.


6. Beauty Of Bowl


A delightful heirloom selection from the 1940s, Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty' offers a cup of pink petals that mature to white around a creamy center. The beautiful shape and colors of this early peony absolutely sing of spring. The flowers open to an impressive 7 to 10 inches wide and are excellent cut flowers.


7. Burning Bright



Peony 'Burning Bride' is a small but beautiful pinkish-red peony from the 1940s. It offers lush single flowers with a cheerful yellow center, adding extra color to the garden.


8. Coral Charm


Paeonia lactiflora 'Coral Charm' is an award-winning, beautiful semi-double peony with 5- to 6-inch coral-colored flowers. It was developed in the 1960s and is still popular today. Unique mid-season salmon-colored flowers stand out against other peonies.


9. Coral Supreme



The semi-double flowers of Paeonia lactiflora 'Coral Supreme' are a rich, distinctive color, and the strong stems are well suited to the climate. Introduced in 1964, this heirloom peony blooms profusely from late spring to early summer. It is almost insect free.

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