Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Red | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Paeoniaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy, Spreading branched
- Potentially harmful
- Pets (dogs, cats): Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- 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
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Shrubby peonies are sparsely branched deciduous shrubs leaves divided into several finger-like lobes, and bowl-shaped flowers in late spring or early summer
How to grow
Cultivation
Thrives in humus-rich, ideally neutral, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or light shade. Position in a sheltered spot away from frost pockets. See tree peony cultivation for more details
Propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Prune dead stems to a healthy bud in late winter and cut flowered shoots just above the new growth in summer or autumn. Cut stems by a third in autumn to encourage vigor if the plant becomes leggy. See Pruning group 1 for more details
Pests
May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworm and swift moth caterpillar
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus, Verticillium wilt, peony leaf blotch, peony wilt and virus diseases
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.