Descriptions and characteristics of all varieties of peonies, varieties and names of the best

Peony cultivation began in China before the Common Era. Since then, these luxurious ornamental flowers have conquered the world, with over 5,000 known varieties and hybrids. Navigating the sea of ​​new varieties emerging every year can be challenging. We'll categorize all the popular peony varieties by color, bloom time and duration, and flower type, so you can choose the most beautiful and elegant ones.

Varieties of peonies by color

The range of peony colors is impressive. Breeders have created varieties with a wide range of tones and complex shades. Most people new to growing peonies wonder what colors peony flowers come in. The color palette ranges from exquisite white to dark and black hues. Pink, purple, and various shades of yellow and red—few crops can boast such a wide variety of colors.

Whites

Snow-white buds against a backdrop of vibrant greenery are a stunning and memorable sight. This peony is considered a royal flower, and numerous white varieties confirm this designation:

1. Duchesse de Nemours. Large flowers up to 20 centimeters in diameter with a lily-of-the-valley scent. It grows up to a meter in height and blooms for about two weeks in any weather. The bud's light yellowish center fades to pearly green at the edges.
2. Mom's Favorite. A peony with dense, densely double, snow-white flowers, petals with wavy edges. The bush grows up to 90 centimeters, blooming profusely.
3. Moon River. Perfectly shaped, creamy-white flowers without pistils or stamens. The petals sometimes glow with a soft pink hue. This mid-season variety grows up to 80 centimeters tall.
4. Shirley Temple. A white beauty on a dense stem with a spherical head. This very frost-hardy variety (down to -40°C) requires no winter protection.

The Festiva Maxima exudes a rose-like fragrance. The petals are edged with red or pink, giving each flower a unique appearance.

Pink

Peonies in a variety of pink shades are among the most popular, and many varieties and hybrids have been developed:

1. Sarah Bernhardt. An old, tried-and-true variety with soft pink petals and flowers up to 20 centimeters across. The fragrance is distinct and spicy. The bush is sturdy and doesn't require staking.
2. Nancy Nora. The petals are a delicate and unusual shade of pink and lilac. They retain their brightness in bright sunlight.
3. Monsieur Jules Elie. The spherical flowers are literally filled with bright pink petals. The bush is large, densely covered with buds.

The Vogue variety blooms with soft pink buds that gradually fade to a pinkish beige. A giant among peonies, it reaches 25 centimeters when fully open.

Red and burgundy

Red peonies impress with their vibrant, rich colors. Many varieties are rare and expensive. The best examples are:

1. Henry Boxtos. The garnet-hued flowers are large and full. They are double and have a rose-shaped center, perfectly shaped.
2. Performance Team. The flower diameter can reach 30 centimeters. When fully open, the peony resembles a pompom resting on the smooth lower petals.
3. Red. Dark red petals. Double, bomb-shaped buds – a true garden wonder.

Among the burgundy-colored peonies, the Armani varieties with glossy petals and Peter Brand, which sometimes have 2-3 flowers blooming on a stem, are especially popular.

Tricolor

Breeders have created varieties and hybrids that delight with their multi-colored, complex combination of different shades:

1. The charm of sunrise. Peony petals are as varied as the color of the sky at sunrise. Narrow creamy strokes appear at the pink base of the lower petals, and crimson streaks appear in the center.
2. Rasberry Sunday. A true wonder, reminiscent of an exquisite dessert – a combination of various shades of pink and cream.
3. Brass Top. A lush flower combining delicate tones of white, yellow, and pink.

The Sherbet (Sorbet) variety has three-layered flowers. The layers are white, cream, and soft pink.

Blue and light blue

Some peony varieties have the words "blue" or "light blue" in their names. This is likely a dream or a ploy by the hybrid's creators; achieving truly blue-light blue buds has not yet been achieved. Typically, the bush blooms with heads of lilac, violet, and pink.

The varieties Deep Blue Sea, Blue Doe, and Blue Snowflake delight the eye with their splendor and beauty, but not with their blue hues.

Lilac and violet

The following lilac and purple peonies are the most popular among flower growers:

• Duck Black Ash is a tree-like variety with buds of a rich purple-pink hue;
• Bellville is a late flowering variety with flowers in purple and lilac;
• Alexandre Dumas – bred in the 19th century, petals are lilac-pink in color, strong aroma;
• Sapphire - lilac petals, ruffled and silky, have purple spots in the center.

The varieties Purple Lotus, Lilac Mist, and Altai News are distinguished by their tenderness and lushness.

Note: It is recommended to frequently water the buds of lilac and purple peonies to maintain the vibrant color.

Yellow

Breeders had to work hard to create yellow peonies; as they bloomed, the petals often changed to beige or sand. The Lemon Chiffon variety, developed in Holland, features bright yellow stamens against a pale lemon background. The petal color remains consistent throughout the blooming period.

The Golden Will peony decorates the garden with its unusual yellow-green petals and large, spreading bushes. Other well-known yellow varieties include Golden Chariot, Sunny Boy, Golden Eagle, and Bartzella.

Dark and black

For lovers of dark, almost black flowers, the following varieties should be chosen:

• Black Panther – burgundy-beetroot heads up to 25 centimeters in diameter;
• Black hydrangea – spherical peony heads painted in dark purple, diameter 14 centimeters;
• Sable is a semi-double flower with burgundy petals and a burning gold center;
• Bob is a famous variety with dark purple petals and a bomb-shaped form.

These dark, gloomy beauties are popular with gardeners. Other varieties include Dark Eyes, Black Crown, and Sacred Mountain.

Fuchsia and raspberry peonies

Fuchsia captivates with its vibrant, unique charm, and adds a fresh touch to flowerbeds and garden plots. The Bouquet Perfect variety looks stunning, with petals that alternate between crimson and pinkish-purple.

Purple and fuchsia glimmer on the lush heads of the Purple Spider variety. The petals are single-colored, making them particularly vibrant and rich in color. Another marvel of soft magenta tones is Morning Lilac, with its semi-double, full-open flowers.

Orange

Orange peonies glow like golden balls in the sun. Among the best varieties:

• Golden scattering – petals of golden hue with pink-purple edging;
• Kinkaku Jin Ge – complex coloring of petals (orange, pink, flesh) looks amazing;
• Garden Treasure – yellow petals with an orange center, making the bud bright and glowing.

The peachy-orange beauty Copper Kettle has a head up to 20 centimeters, an exquisite appearance and aroma.

Cream and beige

Peonies with delicate, pastel-colored petals:

• Anchatress is a double, rose-shaped beauty that opens lemon-white, then turns white-cream;
• Marilla Beauty – touching nude petals in a velvety stuffed flower;
• Doris Cooper – creamy pink heads with evenly folded petals;
• Canary Brilliants – the petals of this peony look like a delicate peach.

Many white peony varieties bloom in cream and beige shades, then lighten.

Classification of varieties by ripening time

Peony lovers rarely limit themselves to a single bush. Selecting varieties with different ripening times helps prolong the blooming of their favorite plant.

Early

Early crops are especially popular – after a gloomy winter, we crave bright colors and a riot of greenery. Among the early and mid-early varieties, the following are particularly popular:

• Coral Fairy - bright pink-red;
• Clair de Lune – with two-row petals, white and yellow;
• Pearl scattering – pink petals with mother-of-pearl, staminodes are pink-yellow;
• Buckeye Bell - blackish-red petals, bright gold staminodes;
• Lada is a white-cream terry variety;
• Sunny Gel - with rare yellow heads.

Early bloomers include members of the coral group—Salmon Chiffon, Coral Supreme, and Sable. Early blooming begins in late May to early June.

Average

Peonies blooming in mid-June are considered mid-season. This group includes many double-flowered varieties, distinguished by their complex shapes and colors:

• Princess Margaret is a large, pure pink flower with no purple tones;
• Varenka – rose-shaped, spherical, very lush, dark pink;
• Cruiser Aurora is a scarlet-red hemispherical flower;
• In memory of Academician Tsitsin – white and pink with red strokes in the center, with a long flowering period;
• Top Brass – creamy white and pink tri-color bud, at the end of flowering a protruding feather (tall petals) appears.

Lush heads decorate the bushes until the end of June.

Late

The last wave of peonies blooms around June 20th – these are the late varieties:

• Pobeda is a red peony of domestic selection;
• Snow Globe - double rose-shaped bud with a faint aroma;
• Kuril Islands - rainbow petals of white and pink shades;
• Old Faithful – a purple-red miracle with velvety petals;
• Albert Kruss is a salmon pink ball with cream edges.

Late varieties finish their peony flowering season at the beginning of July.

Herbaceous varieties

Herbaceous species have above-ground growth that dies back in winter, and the bush begins to grow in the spring. Most peonies are herbaceous, including many varieties that are impressive in appearance and fragrance:

• Alice Kruss - delicate flowers open pink, then fade to white, with cream and pink petals in the center;
• Carol is a scarlet-red flower with a tightly twisted, non-opening center;
• Charismatic – fiery pink-coral flowers with rounded petals;
• Garden Treasure – 1996 Gold Medal Winner, a lush yellow flower with an orange center;
• Armani – ruby-burgundy, lush, luxurious;
• Lady Kate – dark pink flowers, shiny, perfectly shaped.

Herbaceous hybrids are frost-resistant and grow in most regions of Russia.

Tree peonies

Tree peonies grow to 1.5-1.8 meters in height, with foliage falling in the fall. The plant produces up to 60-70 buds. The best tree peonies are:

• Green beans - corrugated petals of a greenish hue are collected in a dense double bud;
• Hemosa Giant – light red crown-shaped flowers, tall bush;
• Kinko - golden petals with a brighter red-orange edge;
• Secret Passion - purple-red buds are slightly hidden in abundant foliage;
• Red with Pink – delicate pink strokes run across the cherry-red petals, making the flowers appear variegated and unlike each other.

The lifespan and flowering period of tree species is longer than that of herbaceous species (up to 50 years).

Terry

Peonies' lush, multi-petaled flowers retain their shape for a long time and don't fade in the sun. The most beautiful double varieties are:

• Shirley Temple - pinkish-cream spherical buds;
• Green Jade is a tree-like species with lush greenish flowers;
• Sarah Bernhardt is an old, proven variety with lush pink buds;
• Barbara is a crown-shaped flower with deep pink petals;
• Bowl of Cream – a creamy ball with a honey aroma;
• Red Charm is a striking, cherry-red, bomb-shaped flower.

Double peonies Marshall MacMahon, Ren Hortense, Edulis Superba are distinguished by their beauty and brightly colored petals.

Long-flowering

ITO hybrids have a long flowering period (2-3 weeks). This is achieved through the gradual opening of the terminal buds and the late growth of lateral shoots, which also bear flowers. Well-known ITO hybrids:

• Bartzella - yellow flowers with raspberry-orange spots in the center;
• Yellow Crown – double and semi-double buds of yellow-lemon color with the finest delicate petals;
• Canary diamonds - corrugated petals have a creamy yellow color, with a cherry-colored spot in the center;
• Cora Louise - pale lilac-pink petals, brighter lavender center.

Coral Sunset, Red Grace, and Garden Treasure also bloom for a long time and last well in cut flowers.

Note: Itoh peonies bloom for up to 2-3 weeks, semi-double ones – 12-14 days, non-double varieties have a shorter lifespan than others – 6-10 days.

Fragrant varieties

All peony varieties are fragrant, with 19th-century French breeders emphasizing scent. In the 20th and 21st centuries, more attention was paid to color, fullness, and shape of the flower head. The following varieties have exquisite fragrances:

• Pink Hawaii Coral smells like fresh hay;
• Enchantresse, Myrtle Gentry, Madame de Verneville, Rose Marie – the scent of roses;
• Walter Maines - smells fresh;
• John Howard Wiegel - clove scent;
• Alyosha Popovich, Excelsa - lily of the valley;
• Star Light, Weatherball-90 – honey;
• Odile, Linnaeus - coffee with milk;
• Arkady Gaidar, Waltz - Linden Blossom;
• High Fashion, Jay See – apple;
• Sinbad - lilac scent.

Varieties with complex floral aromas include Martian, Duchess de Nemours, Garden Treasure, and Pink Champagne. Note that some varieties are scentless, while others have an unpleasant, pungent odor (like rotten fish).

Interestingly, experts identify up to 16 types of scents in peonies – rose, lilac, coffee with milk, freshly mown hay, jasmine, mint, linden.

Anemone-like

The anemone-shaped peonies are distinguished by their lushness and unique charm. These flowers have petals that open wide at the base, forming a flat base. The upper petals are narrow, pointed, and stand almost vertically. They can be either the same color as the main petals or a lighter, contrasting hue. A rare and exquisite member of the group is the Rhapsody variety, with pink outer petals and inner mini-petals of a pale cream color. Snow Mountain has a white base, with a mass of creamy-yellow, curly petals in the center.

Unusual varieties and hybrids

Among the many diverse and wonderful peonies, there are species distinguished by their particular chic, unusual, rare petal color, and changes during flowering:

1. Hillary. It blooms a deep pink, gradually turning creamy, leaving a pink center with cherry highlights.
2. Julia Rose – the petals gradually change shades. The buds open pink, then turn almost orange, then yellow-cream. Due to the varying bloom times, the bush contains flowers of all colors.
3. Lollipop. A vibrant peachy-pink wonder with vibrant strokes of purple, red, and violet.
4. Limon Dream. For the first one to two years, the peony has yellow petals. From the third year onward, whimsical, asymmetrical pink-lavender sections appear, arranged in a unique pattern on each bud.

These whimsical, exquisite peonies are mostly new ITO hybrids, and are most often bred in the USA.

Peonies are large bushes with expressive, lush foliage and vibrantly colored flowers. They make a wonderful addition to any garden, delighting with abundant, long-lasting blooms and creating a stunning bouquet. Anyone can find a variety to suit their taste and enjoy the beauty of their lush blooms for a long time.