We're Celebrating Peonies!

#1: Chinese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Festiva Maxima')

@Deebie says, "This is one of the few early blooming varieties that grows well in the South. Its double flowers are full and beautiful. Be sure to use plant supports for these flowers as the stems will bend/break because of the weight of the blooms, especially when it's wet."

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Festiva Maxima')
• Uploaded by chickhill

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Festiva Maxima')
• Uploaded by pirl

#2: Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt')

@SCButtercup says, "This is a good peony for all climates, and especially for the South, because it blooms early before it gets too hot. By Mother's Day in May, these blooms are finished after giving a great early spring show. When the 95+ temps start, the foliage can get a little crispy, so in my zone 8a garden I plant lantana just behind this peony. By June, when the peony foliage is getting wilted, the lantana blooms and distracts the eye from the peony leaves. By mid to late summer the lantana actually covers the peony to shade it from the heat and the eye. In november, after frost kills the lantana, cut it back, and in spring the cycle will start over. This works even in a prominent front yard display."

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt')
• Uploaded by SCButtercup

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt')
• Uploaded by chickhill

#3: Chinese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty')

@SongofJoy says, "This peony is deer-resistant, easy to grow, and provides a 3-4 week period of blooms. When done flowering, the lush, green foliage can serve as a backdrop for other perennials, hardy roses or annuals.

Peonies look good in a row along a fence line to serve as a flowering border, and they make good cut flowers. Easy to grow and care for once established, they will grow for generations and become treasured inherited members of a garden.

NOMENCLATURE: 'Paeonia' (Named in honor of Paeon, Physician of the Gods in Greek mythology) and 'lactiflora' (milk-like flowers, possibly referring to the ant-attracting nectar produced by peonies, or to the milky-white flower of the unselected species)."

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty')
• Uploaded by Calif_Sue

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty')
• Uploaded by Paul2032

#4: Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield')

@SongofJoy says, "This is a double red peony that blooms early-season. It produces huge, deep red blooms. Beautiful!"

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield')
• Uploaded by chickhill

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield')
• Uploaded by pirl

#5: Chinese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Coral Charm')

@goldfinch4 says, "This plant is very tall in my zone 4 garden at 48" plus. The semi-double flowers are a gorgeous coral color when they open, but fade quickly to a pale coral. Still very pretty, however. This is one peony that does not smell good at all. It actually has a very unpleasant smell when used as a cut flower, especially as it fades."

• Garden Peony (Paeonia 'Coral Charm')
• Uploaded by goldfinch4

• Garden Peony (Paeonia 'Coral Charm')
• Uploaded by goldfinch4

#6: Fernleaf Peony (Paeonia tenuifolia)

@critterologist says, "I love this peony! The foliage is distinctive, and the bloom is a lovely deep red. It gets bigger and blooms more every year (like any peony, I suppose). I appreciate that it shoots up earlier than other herbaceous peonies, so it's less likely to be stepped on by small feet when the kids are picking daffodils."

• Fern Leaf Peony (Paeonia tenuifolia)
• Uploaded by bonitin

• Fern Leaf Peony (Paeonia tenuifolia)
• Uploaded by admin

#7: Intersectional Peony (Paeonia 'Bartzella')

@valleyrimgirl says, "Hybridizer: Roger Anderson, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, USA
Year: 1986
Parentage: white lactiflora double x Reath hybrid tree.
Description: Bartzella has large 6-8" full double yellow blooms with red flares and white stigmas at center and a few sidebuds that extend flowering. Strong 32" stems hold the flowers on top of the plant. Each mature Bartzella can have more than 60 flowers, blooming from two to four weeks. No seed or pollen. Lemon scented fragrance.
Additional Awards: Grand Champion flower 2002 American Peony Society Exhibition at Madison, Wisconsin.
Origin of the name: "The name Bartzella originated in part from the family Pastor, whose last name was Barts. My wife was the one responsible for adding the ella. She seemed to think it softened the Barts. It has worked very well.“ (Roger Anderson, March 25 2001 on yahoo-groups [peony])"

• Intersectional Peony (Paeonia 'Bartzella')
• Uploaded by bearsearch

• Intersectional Peony (Paeonia 'Bartzella')
• Uploaded by Joy

#8: Peony (Paeonia obovata)

@dorab says, "My photo is of Paeonia obovata alba, and this is the first bud since planting in 2009. The plant is in an east-facing bed, which receives good morning light."

• Peony (Paeonia obovata)
• Uploaded by admin

• Peony (Paeonia obovata)
• Uploaded by dorab

#9: Chinese Peony (Paeonia 'Paula Fay')

@floota says, "I have had this one for years, and it appears much darker here than the other image shown in the DB."

• Peony (Paeonia 'Paula Fay')
• Uploaded by Joy

• Peony (Paeonia 'Paula Fay')
• Uploaded by magnolialover

#10: Japanese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Tom Eckhardt')

@goldfinch4 says, "Outer petals are a beautiful dark pink, and they surround yellow, orange and rose stamens - a beautiful combination. Nice fragrance too. Hybridizer is William Krekler."

• Japanese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Tom Eckhardt')
• Uploaded by goldfinch4

• Japanese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Tom Eckhardt')
• Uploaded by goldfinch4