Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Herbaceous Perennial

Paeonia obovata
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

obovate peony

A compact, clump-forming perennial to around 60cm high, with foliage divided into large, slightly grey-green, oval to egg-shaped leaflets that are held in groups of three. Flowers from mid spring, producing cup-shaped, lightly scented single flowers with white or dark pink petals, which are followed by pods of glossy black seeds

Synonyms
Paeonia japonica (Makino) Miyabe & Takeda

Join the RHS

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year

Join now
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Pink Green Grey Silver
Summer Green Grey Silver
Autumn Green Grey Silver Black
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Paeoniaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, Clump forming
Genus

Paeonia may be herbaceous perennials or deciduous sub-shrubs with large, divided leaves and showy large bowl-shaped flowers, usually in early summer

Name status

Correct

Plant range
Temperate Asia

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in deep, rich, well-drained soil, ideally in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Will not tolerate waterlogging. See herbaceous peony cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division, lifting and dividing established clumps in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Low Maintenance
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Cut back to ground level in autumn, to remove dead foliage and reduce the risk of disease

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworm and swift moth caterpillar

Diseases

May be susceptible to a virus, honey fungus, Verticillium wilt, peony leaf blotch and peony wilt

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.