When do peonies bloom?

Peonies bloom at Pentecost, as the name suggests. However, it is not that simple. While it used to be mainly the pink-red-colored perennial peonies that bloomed in cottage gardens, there are now many different varieties thanks to tireless perennial breeders. The color spectrum extends from white to yellow, pink and red. And the timing of flowering also varies. There are early, middle and late varieties.

perennial peonies

These are the most famous and oldest peonies. Since the Middle Ages, the farmer's peony Paeonia officinalis rubra plena bred. Other varieties, which were then used for breeding, came from China. The plants grow to a height of around 60 to 100 cm and do well in perennial beds. These peonies bloom for several weeks. In order for the perennials to remain beautiful for a long time, faded flowers should be removed before seed formation begins.

Variety selection based on flowering time

Early (early to mid-May):

• Athena, pink/white, unfilled
• Blushing Princess, pink, semi-double
• Claire de Lune, white/cream, unfilled
• Coral 'n Gold, orange, unfilled
• Henry Bockstoce, dark red, filled
• Magenta Moon, violet, half filled

Medium (mid to late May):

• Angelika Kaufmann, white, unfilled
• Ann Cousins, white/cream, filled
• Antwerp violet Japanese flower shape
• Balliol, dark red, unfilled
• Candy Stripe, multicolored striped, filled
• Carol, red, filled

Late (early June):

• Adolphe Rousseau, red, filled
• Bouquet Perfect, pink, filled
• Bowl of Cream, white/cream, filled
• Cheddar Cheese, Multicolor/Yellow, Japanese Flower Shape

intersectional hybrids

Perennial and shrub peonies were crossed for these new breeds. The first varieties came from Japan. These peonies bloom mid to late. A distinctive feature is the delayed flowering. Unlike the other species, not all flowers bloom at about the same time. On rare occasions, some of the hybrids produce another bloom in summer. They remain smaller than the tree peonies, but do not pull in all the foliage in winter like the perennial peonies.

Variety selection based on flowering time

Medium (mid-May):

• Ballarena de Saval, violet, unfilled
• Bartzella, yellow, half double
• Forst Arrival, pink, half double
• Joanna Marlene, multi-colored, half-double
• Red Double Seedling, dark red
• Scarlet Heaven, red, unfilled

Late (late May to early June):

• Canary Brilliants, apricot, half filled
• Cora Louise, white/cream, half filled
• Court Jester, yellow, unfilled
• Julia Rose, pink, half double
• Love Affair, white, half double

tree peonies

They are also called tree peonies and come from China, where they have been bred for a very long time. They grow like shrubs and develop double or single flowers. These peonies take a few years to bloom. They then reach a height of up to 3 m. The division is made into different categories.

The Lutea hybrids bloom early, from early to mid-May, or late, late May to early June. With these hybrids, the first yellow tree peonies were cultivated, since corresponding wild species were crossed. When fully grown, these plants are about 1.20 to 1.50 m high. They are then 10-12 years old.

Sorts:

• Antigone, yellow, half filled, early
• Banquet, red, half filled, early
• Aphrodite, white/cream, unfilled, late
• Ariadne, apricot, half filled, late
• August Moon, yellow, half double, late
• Black Douglas, dark red, unfilled, late

Suffruticosa

peony – peony – Paeonia officinalis

The tree peonies Suffruticosa bloom as early as the end of April and are therefore one of the earliest peonies. Medium varieties open their flowers in early May and late ones in mid-May. There are Japanese, Chinese and European/American varieties.

Sorts:

• Duchesse de Morny, pink, half filled, early
• Hatsugarasu, dark red, half double, middle
• Shimanishiki, colorfully striped, half filled, middle
• Godaishu, white, half filled, late
• High Noon, yellow, half filled, late
• Yagumo, dark violet, half-double, late

Rockii hybrids

After the Suffruticosa, the Rockii hybrids flower. Early varieties in early May and medium mid-May. For these breeds, the wild species Päonia rockii, native to China, was crossed. It is very robust and buds late. These varieties mostly have single or half-double flowers in different colors and have a typical basal spot in the flower. Rockii hybrids grow faster and more vigorously than Suffruticosa varieties and broaden with age.

Sorts:

• Ambrose Congrève, pink, half-double, early
• Dojean, white, half filled, early
• Souvenir de Lothar Parlasca, yellow, unfilled, early
• Katrin, violet, half filled, middle

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