Peony
Peony
Paeonia
A perennial of patience and opulence, slow to settle but faithful for decades.
Checked by the editorial team – Updated July 2026
Peony (Paeonia) is a perennial in the Paeoniaceae family. It is mainly grown in partial shade, sun, in chalky, well-drained, fertile, moist soil, with a mature size around 0,5 m to 1,5 m. Its red, pink, orange, white flowering and hardiness to -29 deg C make it a plant to match carefully with place and purpose.
Botanical identity card
Gardener calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Leaf season | ||||||||||||
| Care |
With peony, refinement is not rarity but accuracy: the right place first, then the quiet gesture. For shrub habit, container, balcony, a well-trained plant is worth more than a forced one.
– Les Jardins d’un Chatelain
Portrait
A perennial of patience and opulence, slow to settle but faithful for decades.
In a character garden, peony is first used to build a scene: shrub habit, container, balcony, cut flowers, specimen. The position should be chosen before purchase, because the plant performs better when light, soil and mature size agree.
The reference record points to partial shade, sun and chalky, well-drained, fertile, moist soil. Respecting that match is the quiet economy of good gardening: fewer corrections, less water and cleaner pruning.
Notable varieties
| Variety or form | Useful character | Garden situation |
|---|---|---|
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Adolphe Rousseau’ | red – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Alexander Fleming’ | pink – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Amabilis’ | pink – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Augustin dHour’ | pink, red – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bouquet Perfect’ | pink – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
| Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Sunset’ | orange – shrub habit – 0,5 m to 1 m | shrub habit, container, balcony |
The Chatelain Method
Observe
Plant shallowly in soft sun and avoid moving later.
Diagnose
No flowers often means buried crowns or a young plant.
Correct
Expose the eyes slightly and feed with compost.
Prevent
Stake heavy blooms before rain.
Frequently asked questions
When should Peony be planted?
Use the calendar above as the first guide. Outside frost, heatwaves and waterlogged soil, planting works best while the ground is cool and workable.
Which exposure is best?
Peony prefers partial shade, sun. In hot climates, shelter from the harshest sun reduces stress.
What soil does it need?
The reference data points to chalky, well-drained, fertile, moist soil. Improve the planting hole before planting rather than correcting later.
Is Peony hardy?
Available data indicates hardiness down to -29 deg C, to be adjusted for wind, winter wet and plant age.