Types of peonies

Starting your journey into the world of peonies is both an exciting but daunting one. As with anything new there is lots to learn. Taking your first step towards growing peonies requires you to find out what is available and to also work out what your own tastes are. Here is a brief introduction to the different types of peonies.

There are 3 main types of peonies that have been cultivated. These are herbaceous peonies (Paeonia Lactiflora), tree peonies and intersectional peonies (Itohs).

1. The most common types of peonies are herbaceous peonies. They are known for their large spectacular fragrant flowers. They have soft stems and completely die back in the winter and then regrow in the spring. Herbaceous peonies can easily last in your garden for 100 years. They come in many colours and flower forms. The flower forms are single, Japanese and anemone, semi-double, double and bomb doubles. These forms occur in all 3 types of peonies. Herbaceous peonies grow to between 60-90cm in both height and width. At maturity an herbaceous peony will give you 5 – 30 or more flowers.

2. Tree peonies are hard woody shrubs that produce large, fragrant and colourful flowers. They do not die back completely in winter. Tree peonies have a longer life span and flower before herbaceous and intersectional peonies. There are less colours and varieties of tree peonies to choose from. However, they are more rare and substantially more expensive. They also come in different flower forms. Tree peonies grow into large multi-stemmed plants and reach a height of 1.2m – 1.8m. A tree peony will give you more flowers due it’s size and more permanent structure.

3. Intersectional ponies are also known as Itoh peonies. They are a hybrid between an intersectional peony and a tree peony. They have good characteristics from both types and have strong stems and large, long-lasting flowers. They also die back in winter and re-emerge in spring. Itohs flower at a similar time to herbaceous peonies. The plants are slightly more disease resistant than herbaceous peonies. They grow to a similar size to herbaceous peonies which is 60-90cm in height and width. A mature Itoh peony plant will give you 5- 30+ flowers. It will also continue to flower later in the season once the herbaceous peonies have finished flowering. There are less varieties of Itoh peonies to choose from but more yellow varieties than in the herbaceous selection. Itohs are generally a little more expensive than herbaceous peonies.

Making your peony choice is completely up to your personal preference. There are many colours and varieties to choose from. Each type is unique and offers you a broad selection of choice to grow in your garden. May your path lead you to learn and love the journey of choosing and growing peonies. And may your peonies shower you in their beauty for many years to come.