Discover 12 Types of Peony Flowers

Spring is a great time to admire peony flowers, and there are so many different types. Although they originate from China, you can find these flowers throughout the United States. These beautiful and large flowers come in many different sizes and colors. Some produce blooms as small as a thumb, while others have double blossoms. Listed below are 12 types of peony flowers and photos to help identify them.

Festiva Maxima

The first type of peony on our list is a gorgeous white flower known as ‘Festiva Maxima’. This beautiful bloom grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. ‘Festiva Maxima’ is a very fragrant flower that grows up to 7 inches wide. They bloom during spring and summer and remain for around 7 to 10 days. This variety is long-lived, but may not produce flowers for up to two years after planting.

Sonoma Halo

If you want to add a little color to your garden, another great type of peony flower is the ‘Sonoma Halo.’ This delicate and lovely flower produces 5 to 6-inch double yellow blooms. The plant reaches around 32 inches long. The best time to plant peonies for summer and spring blooms is during late fall and early winter. It’s an expensive and uncommon type.

Princess Margaret

One of the most popular and easy to spot peony flowers is the ‘Princess Margaret‘ cultivar. This stunning plant was registered in 1960 and produces dark pink double-flowers during spring. This peony is a perennial that thrives in partial shade to full sun. The plant can reach 30 to 34 inches tall. ‘Princess Margaret’ peonies have no blue tones.

Miss America

Also on our list of 12 types of peony flowers is the cultivar ‘Miss America.’ This super fragrant flower is a favorite for many. It’s mainly white with a yellow center and grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. ‘Miss America’ peonies grow well and are perfect for cuttings. They grow bushy and can spread 3 feet.

Red Charm

‘Red Charm’ peonies are the perfect flowers to plant when wanting to add color and texture to your garden. These flowers look like a mix of roses and carnations. These double-flowers bloom early and are a sign of spring. Although early-blooming, they are short-lived, which only adds to their charm. ‘Red Charm’ peonies were registered for the first time in 1944.

Bowl of Beauty

The ‘Bowl of Beauty’ peony is stunning. It lives up to its name as it looks like a precious and delicate bowl. This peony is both pink and white. The flowers are massive, blooming at about 8 to 10 inches wide, and last for about 7 to 10 days. This type of peony is considered a late mid-season flower.

Bartzella

Another yellow peony makes our list. ‘Bartzella’ is a fun name for a plant. This is another gorgeous double-yellow flower with a light sweet lemon scent. The center of the flower has a tinge of orange-red. ‘Bartzella’ blooms are about 8 inches long and the plant grows up to around 34 inches tall.

Raspberry Sundae

Continuing our list of different types of peony flowers is the ‘Raspberry Sundae.’ It’s an affordable and common type of peony. ‘Raspberry Sundae’ peonies are fragrant and beautiful flowers. The flowers resemble scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream with a drizzly raspberry sauce. It produces a sweet, but mild scent. The plants are about 36 inches long and were created in 1968.

Coral Charm

The ‘Coral Charm’ peony is lovely. It’s a beautiful plant that grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. This shrub can grow as tall and wide as 3 feet. The plant produces coral-peach and pink Coral semi-double blossoms. This cultivar heavily blooms in late spring and early summer.

Fern-Leaf Peony

A simple but beautiful peony plant is the ‘Fern-Leaf’ peony. This stunning plant produces bright red flowers with yellow stamens. The colors go well with each other. ‘Fern-Leaf’ peonies also have feathery, fern-like leaves. It’s commonly added to cottage gardens and along borders.

Old Rose Dandy

Another type of peony to make our list is the ‘Old Rose Dandy.’ This lovely peony plant produces multiple plants on a shrub. It was first propagated in 1990 and is now a popular choice among gardeners. The flowers on this shrub are around four inches long and are yellow and light pink. The colors in the center are darker and more intense.

Shima Nishiki

Last but not least is the ‘Shima Nishiki’ peony. This lovely plant is striking. It produces multiple red and white striped flowers early in the season. Sometimes the flowers are all white or red.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Oleksandr Savchuk/Shutterstock.com