• Photo of Paeonia lactiflora (Paeonia lactifloras)

Plant Profile: Paeonia lactiflora

Taxonomy: Paeonia lactiflora

Names

Chinese Peony, Garden Peony

  • Photo of Paeonia lactiflora (Paeonia lactifloras)

Phonetic Spelling:

Genus:Paeonia

Species:lactiflora

Family:Paeoniaceae

The Garden Peony is a herbaceous perennial flower that originates from China and Siberia. Known for its large, vibrant, and fragrant blooms that appear in spring, this plant also boasts attractive foliage that remains appealing even after the flowers have faded. With robust rhizomes, Garden Peonies can thrive for many years once they are well-established. They prefer to be planted in full sun to partial shade, ideally in rich, well-draining soil. These flowers are versatile in their placement; they can be positioned in the middle or back of a perennial border, showcased as a standalone specimen, grouped in small clusters, or included in a cutting garden. Additionally, they can enhance the aesthetics of sidewalks, driveways, and other hardscape features, or be planted against fences.

Paeonia lactiflora Feature Summary

Paeonia lactiflora Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#fragrant flowers
#specimen
#wildlife plant
#cut flowers
#rabbit resistant
#deer resistant
#large flowers
#long lifespan
#borders
#late spring flowers
#mid-spring flowers
#border back
#small group plantings
#butterfly friendly

Similar Plants

Paeonia lactiflora Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers attract butterflies.
Perennial
Fruit
Horizontal follicles that split when mature
Follicle
Flowers
Mid to late spring very large cup-shaped fragrant blooms
Pink
White
7 - 20 petals/rays
3-6 inches
Leaves
Dark green compound leaves 8"-12" long with 9 elliptical leaflets Leaves can turn orange in the fall.
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Elliptical
> 6 inches
Stem
Stems die back to the ground at the first frost.
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Cutting Garden
Butterfly Garden
Border
Hedge
Accent
Small groups
Specimen
Walkways
Pool/Hardscape
Butterflies

Paeonia lactiflora Attributes

Paeonia lactiflora: Country Or Region Of Origin

Sibera, China

Paeonia lactiflora: Wildlife Value

Flowers attract butterflies.

Paeonia lactiflora: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Paeonia lactiflora Fruit

Paeonia lactiflora: Fruit Description

Horizontal follicles that split when mature

Paeonia lactiflora: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Paeonia lactiflora Flowers

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Description

Mid to late spring very large cup-shaped fragrant blooms

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Paeonia lactiflora: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Paeonia lactiflora Leaves

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Description

Dark green compound leaves 8"-12" long with 9 elliptical leaflets Leaves can turn orange in the fall.

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Paeonia lactiflora: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Orange

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Paeonia lactiflora: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Paeonia lactiflora: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Paeonia lactiflora Stem

Paeonia lactiflora: Stem Description

Stems die back to the ground at the first frost.

Paeonia lactiflora: Stem Color

grass
Green

Paeonia lactiflora: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Paeonia lactiflora Whole Plant Traits

Paeonia lactiflora: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Paeonia lactiflora: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Paeonia lactiflora: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Paeonia lactiflora Cultural Conditions

Paeonia lactiflora: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Paeonia lactiflora: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Paeonia lactiflora: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Paeonia lactiflora: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Paeonia lactiflora: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Paeonia lactiflora Landscape

Paeonia lactiflora: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Paeonia lactiflora: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Paeonia lactiflora: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Paeonia lactiflora: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Paeonia lactiflora: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees