Paeonia

A paeonia (common name peony) is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Paeonia in the family Paeoniaceae. Peonies are prized for their large, showy, often fragrant blooms that come in colors like white, pink, red, coral, and yellow. Flowers can be single, semi-double, or fully double.

There are several types of peonies. Herbaceous peonies: Die back to the ground in winter and regrow in spring (e.g., Paeonia lactiflora). Tree peonies: Woody shrubs that retain stems year-round (e.g., Paeonia suffruticosa). Intersectional (Itoh) peonies: Hybrids between herbaceous and tree peonies.

Peonies prefer full sun, well-drained soil, and cool winters. Herbaceous types need a cold dormancy period to bloom well. Best time to plant is fall,  6–8 weeks before hard frost  for root establishment. Spring planting works but delays blooming 1 year.