12 Peony Varieties Worth Growing: Herbaceous, Tree, and Itoh — From Beginner Picks to Rare Collector Finds
12 peony varieties ranked by zone, fragrance, and rarity — including 3 collector picks most gardeners have never grown. Find the right type for your garden.
You’ve probably seen the same six peonies on every list: Sarah Bernhardt, Festiva Maxima, maybe Coral Charm. All excellent — but peonies divide into three fundamentally different plant types, and the best cultivar for your garden depends on which type matches your climate, available space, and expectations for bloom duration.
This guide covers 12 specific varieties across herbaceous, tree, and Itoh peonies, including several rare collector picks most gardeners have never grown. Each entry includes USDA hardiness zones, bloom timing, fragrance, and an honest “best for” assessment so you can buy with confidence. A quick framework first will help you avoid planting the wrong type entirely.
Three Types, One Decision Framework
Herbaceous peonies (primarily Paeonia lactiflora and its hybrids) are the ones most gardeners picture: bushy mounds that die back completely to the ground each winter and regrow from the roots every spring. They’re the hardiest type — most cultivars survive USDA Zones 3–8 — and they need that cold dormancy period to bloom reliably. A herbaceous peony in Atlanta or Phoenix will disappoint; the same plant in Chicago or Minneapolis will thrive for decades. Bloom duration is typically 7–10 days per cultivar, which is why mixing early, mid, and late varieties matters if you want a long season.
If you garden in USDA Zone 3 (−40°F to −30°F winters), herbaceous peonies are your most reliable choice. For state-by-state planting dates, cold-tested variety recommendations, and tips for protecting buds from late spring frosts, see our full guide to growing peonies in Zone 3.
Tree peonies (mainly Paeonia suffruticosa and hybrids) keep their woody stems year-round, like a deciduous shrub rather than a perennial. They bloom two to three weeks earlier than herbaceous types — often late April in Zone 6 — and produce substantially larger flowers, sometimes exceeding 10 inches across. Most tree peonies establish in USDA Zones 4–8. The trade-off is patience: a tree peony can take three to five years to bloom meaningfully, but once established, plants routinely live 50 to 100 years and grow into genuine garden centerpieces.
Itoh peonies (intersectional hybrids) are the biological breakthrough of the three. In 1948, Japanese breeder Toichi Itoh crossed a herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Kakaden’) with a woody tree peony (Paeonia × lemoinei) — a cross previously considered impossible. Of the 20,000 seeds he planted, just one germinated and flowered. Itoh died in 1956 without ever seeing it bloom; his widow later allowed American enthusiast Louis Smirnow to bring the plants to the United States in 1966, where they were registered as Itoh hybrids. According to Ohio State University Extension, early plants sold for $300–$1,000 each before Canadian grower Plantek introduced tissue culture propagation in the early 2000s, bringing prices to a more manageable $40–$80.
What makes Itohs worth choosing? They combine the best traits of both parents: the die-back habit of herbaceous peonies (so cold hardiness is excellent, Zones 4–9), the large flowers and expanded color palette of tree peonies, and a bloom duration of three to four weeks — far longer than either parent. Superior botrytis resistance is a practical bonus.
6 Herbaceous Peony Varieties
All six entries below grow in USDA Zones 3–8 unless noted. Plant roots in fall with the eyes no more than 1–2 inches below soil surface — deeper planting is the single most common reason peonies refuse to bloom.
1. ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ — The Classic Standard
‘Sarah Bernhardt’ remains one of the most widely grown peonies in the world for good reason: it’s reliable, intensely fragrant, and produces large double blooms in clear apple-blossom pink. It blooms late season (early June in Zone 6), after most spring perennials have faded. The RHS awards it an Award of Garden Merit, a designation requiring proven garden performance over multiple years. Stems are strong enough for cutting without support, and vase life is excellent at 5–7 days in cool water.
Best for: Cut flower gardens, first-time peony growers. Avoid if: You want a long bloom window — like all lactiflora types, flowers last 7–10 days.
2. ‘Festiva Maxima’ — Fragrance Champion Since 1851
Introduced in 1851 and still among the most fragrant peonies available, ‘Festiva Maxima’ produces full double blooms in white with crimson flecks concentrated at petal tips, most visible when the flower first opens. It blooms early to midseason and holds an RHS AGM. The fragrance is intense — driven primarily by the benzyl benzoate and linalool compounds characteristic of P. lactiflora cultivars, the same chemistry behind peony-based perfumery. If fragrance is your primary criterion, ‘Festiva Maxima’ and ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ are the herbaceous benchmarks.
Best for: Fragrance-first gardeners, white-themed borders, historic garden schemes. Avoid if: You want color — this one is purely about white and scent.
3. ‘Coral Charm’ — The Color-Shift Performer
‘Coral Charm’ does something no other common peony does: it changes color through its bloom cycle. Buds open in deep coral-orange, then soften steadily through salmon-pink to cream as the flower matures and anthocyanin pigments degrade in UV light. A single plant in full flower shows multiple color stages simultaneously, which is why florists prize it. Developed by Samuel Wissing from a cross of P. lactiflora and P. officinalis subsp. lobata, it earned an American Peony Society Gold Medal and holds an RHS AGM. It’s semi-double, which means it sheds water after rain better than densely-packed doubles.
Best for: Cut flowers, photography subjects, mixed spring borders. Avoid if: You want one consistent color — the transition is the point.
4. ‘Karl Rosenfield’ — Dependable Deep Red
The benchmark red peony in most catalogs: deeply colored (closer to burgundy than scarlet), fully double, with strong stems that rarely need staking. It blooms midseason, making it a useful timing anchor between early and late-season picks. Deep-red pigmentation in peonies comes from cyanidin-based anthocyanins concentrated in vacuolar tissue — in direct sun these deepen; in shade, ‘Karl Rosenfield’ flowers trend bluer and less saturated. Plant it in full sun for richest color.
Best for: Classic cottage and red-themed borders, reliable midseason performers. Avoid if: You want unusual coloring — this is standard for a reason.
5. ‘Bowl of Beauty’ — Anemone Form Explained
‘Bowl of Beauty’ looks different from the varieties above because it’s a different flower form. The outer ring of broad hot-pink guard petals surrounds a dense central mound of narrow cream-yellow structures called petaloids. These aren’t petals or stamens — they’re a transitional form between the two. Botanically, they are stamens that have transformed past the staminode stage to the point where all visible evidence of stamen origin, except the cream-yellow color, has been eliminated. The practical result is a more open, airy flower that sheds water more effectively after rain than a full double. It blooms midseason and holds an RHS AGM.
Best for: Structural flower interest, mixed herbaceous borders. Avoid if: You want maximum fragrance — anemone forms are typically lighter-scented than full doubles.
6. Paeonia mlokosewitschii — Molly the Witch (Rare Species)
This one separates a recycled list from a genuinely useful one. Paeonia mlokosewitschii — universally nicknamed “Molly the Witch” — is an unhybridized Caucasian species that blooms in early April, a full month before most peonies, and in a clear lemony yellow that no cultivated lactiflora hybrid matches at that season. I’ve grown it in a Zone 6 border and the April bloom — weeks before any herbaceous peony shows color — is genuinely startling.
The flowers are single cups about 4 inches across with lemony yellow petals surrounding a central crown of butterscotch-colored stamens and a distinctively pink-tinged stigma. Vince Marrocco, Director of Horticulture at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, put it plainly: “There is no better yellow-flowered peony than Molly the Witch.” The plant is slow-growing and requires patience; it produces more flowers each year as it matures, is self-supporting, tolerates part shade, and is hardy to Zone 4. It’s genuinely rare in commerce because it doesn’t propagate quickly and produces single blooms rather than the dramatic doubles that move fast at garden centers. If you find it, buy it.
Best for: Early-season color, collector gardens, yellow-themed spring schemes. Avoid if: You need immediate impact — this rewards patience.
3 Tree Peony Varieties
Plant tree peonies in fall with the graft union 4–6 inches below soil level, choose a sheltered position away from late-frost pockets, and do not cut them back in autumn. Most will need three to five seasons before blooming reliably, but a well-placed tree peony becomes a garden anchor for generations.
7. ‘High Noon’ — The Yellow Tree Peony Standard
Developed by Professor Arthur Saunders and introduced in 1952, ‘High Noon’ is the benchmark yellow tree peony in the United States and holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit. It’s a P. lutea hybrid producing semi-double, 6–7-inch blooms in clear lemon yellow with bold dark-red flares at the petal base. The flowers face upward and outward rather than nodding — which makes them visible from a distance and distinguishes ‘High Noon’ from older lutea hybrids where flowers often hung downward and were partially hidden by foliage.
It carries a light sweet-lemon fragrance, unusual for tree peonies. Most notably, it will often produce a small second flush of blooms in summer — a rare trait in tree peonies that makes it exceptional value as a garden plant. Mature height 5–8 feet; USDA Zones 4–9.
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→ View My Garden CalendarBest for: Yellow-themed borders, fragrance seekers, gardeners who want a peony unlike the standard pink herbaceous types. Avoid if: You have a small border or need fast results.
8. ‘Renkaku’ (Flight of Cranes) — Japanese Heritage in White
‘Renkaku’ translates as “Flight of Cranes,” and the name fits the flower: very large, semi-double, pure white blooms up to 8 inches across with fringed, lightly crinkled petals that catch light like feathers. It’s one of the oldest cultivated tree peonies still widely available, documented since at least 1889, and remains unsurpassed for pure white in the tree peony category. Flowers are lightly fragrant, upward-facing, and appear in early season — two to three weeks before herbaceous peonies in the same garden.
Because ‘Renkaku’ is P. suffruticosa rather than a lutea hybrid, it tolerates some afternoon shade better than the yellow types, which is useful under a high deciduous canopy. Mature height 5–8 feet; USDA Zones 4–8.
Best for: White garden schemes, Japanese-inspired plantings, early-season bloom. Avoid if: You need full shade — tree peonies need sun for at least half the day to bloom well.
9. ‘Souvenir de Maxime Cornu’ — A Rare French Classic (Collector)
This is the tree peony most collectors seek and most gardeners have never seen. A 19th-century French hybrid from P. lutea crossed with Chinese tree peony, ‘Souvenir de Maxime Cornu’ produces large, double, deeply fragrant blooms with ruffled dusky-yellow petals edged in pink and buff that intensify toward orange as the flower ages. No other commonly available tree peony replicates this color progression. Named after Professor Maxime Cornu, director of France’s Jardin des Plantes botanical garden, it carries RHS hardiness rating H5 — hardy in most UK locations even in severe winters, which corresponds roughly to USDA Zone 6 and warmer.
Mature height and spread both reach 5–8 feet; allow 5–10 years for full development. The flowers stop visitors mid-path when the plant reaches maturity.
Best for: Collector gardens, historic or formal plantings, gardeners who want a genuine conversation piece. Avoid if: You want consistent color — the shift from yellow to orange to pink-edged is the feature, not a defect.
3 Itoh Peony Varieties
All three Itoh varieties below are hardy in USDA Zones 4–9. They die back to the ground each autumn like herbaceous peonies and regrow each spring. Do not cut the stems back in fall — let the foliage die naturally, then remove at ground level in late fall or early spring. A semi-woody base develops over years and should be left intact. Bloom duration of three to four weeks is the most practical advantage over herbaceous types.
10. ‘Bartzella’ — The Itoh Benchmark
‘Bartzella’ is to Itoh peonies what ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is to herbaceous: the variety most people encounter first and the one that sets the standard. It produces large, fully double blooms in buttery lemon yellow with dramatic red flares at the base of each petal — the signature Itoh aesthetic. Flowers reach 6–8 inches across, and a mature clump can carry 60 or more blooms simultaneously, a figure that seems implausible until you see it in person. It holds both an RHS Award of Garden Merit and the American Peony Society Gold Medal (2006) — one of the few peonies with both distinctions. The fragrance is light and citrusy. Introduced in 1986, it was among the first Itohs to reach commercial availability through tissue culture. USDA Zones 4–9.
Best for: First-time Itoh growers, yellow-themed borders, cut flowers. Avoid if: You want a rare or collector variety — ‘Bartzella’ is now mainstream and widely available.
11. ‘Cora Louise’ — Lavender Colors Only Itoh Can Deliver
‘Cora Louise’ demonstrates exactly why Itoh hybrids expanded the peony color palette beyond what herbaceous cultivars can produce. The blooms are white to lavender-blush with striking deep-magenta flares at each petal base — a color combination that simply doesn’t exist in P. lactiflora cultivars. The tree peony genetics introduce pigment pathways that produce the dark flares, while the herbaceous parent maintains the cold hardiness and die-back habit. The RHS awards it an AGM.
Flowers are semi-double, up to 8 inches across, and appear in mid-to-late season. ‘Cora Louise’ is compact for an Itoh, reaching 24–30 inches, making it more practical in smaller beds. USDA Zones 4–9.
Best for: Gardeners who want a color not available in herbaceous types, smaller borders. Avoid if: You want deep vibrant color — this is subtle lavender and white, not bold.
12. ‘Kopper Kettle’ — Rare Copper Tones (Collector)
‘Kopper Kettle’ occupies a color space no other commonly available peony replicates: blooms open in soft copper-rose and age through salmon to soft gold, with a deep burgundy flare intensifying at the center throughout the progression. The Chicago Botanic Garden evaluated it in plant trials and reports bloom time of May–June, USDA Zones 4–7, flowers to 8 inches, fragrance, and deer resistance. The foliage also turns red in spring and autumn, adding ornamental value beyond the bloom window.
Multiple color stages appear simultaneously on a single clump — younger blooms copper-orange, older flowers turning gold — giving the plant a layered, painterly quality. Available from specialty nurseries, typically $50–$80 per division.
Best for: Collector gardens, warm-toned schemes in bronze and gold, photographers. Avoid if: You’re in Zone 8 or warmer — this one performs best where summers are cool.
At a Glance: All 12 Varieties Compared
Rarity reflects typical retail availability: Common = garden center stock; Premium = most nurseries carry it; Collector = specialty peony nurseries only.
| Variety | Type | Zones | Bloom | Fragrance | Height | Rarity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Bernhardt | Herbaceous | 3–8 | Late | Strong | 2–3 ft | Common | Cutting, beginners |
| Festiva Maxima | Herbaceous | 3–8 | Early–mid | Very strong | 2–3 ft | Common | Fragrance, white borders |
| Coral Charm | Herbaceous | 3–8 | Early | Moderate | 2–3 ft | Premium | Color-shift, cutting |
| Karl Rosenfield | Herbaceous | 3–8 | Mid | Moderate | 2–3 ft | Common | Red schemes, reliability |
| Bowl of Beauty | Herbaceous | 3–8 | Mid | Light | 2–3 ft | Common | Structural interest |
| Molly the Witch | Herbaceous species | 4–8 | Very early (Apr) | Moderate | 2 ft | Collector | Early yellow, rarity |
| High Noon | Tree | 4–9 | Early (tree) | Moderate | 5–8 ft | Premium | Yellow, rebloom trait |
| Renkaku | Tree | 4–8 | Early (tree) | Light | 5–8 ft | Premium | White, historic gardens |
| Souvenir de Maxime Cornu | Tree | 6–8 | Late spring | Strong | 5–8 ft | Collector | Collector, historic |
| Bartzella | Itoh | 4–9 | Mid | Light citrus | 3 ft | Premium | Yellow, first Itoh |
| Cora Louise | Itoh | 4–9 | Mid–late | Light | 2–2.5 ft | Premium | Lavender, small space |
| Kopper Kettle | Itoh | 4–7 | Mid | Moderate | 3 ft | Collector | Copper tones, collector |
Which Peony Is Right for You?
If you’re in USDA Zone 3, stay with herbaceous types — tree peonies and most Itoh cultivars won’t reliably survive Zone 3 winters. ‘Festiva Maxima’ and ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ are the most reliable choices in that range. ‘Coral Charm’ also performs in Zone 3 but its early bloom timing means occasional late-frost losses in exposed gardens.
For the longest possible bloom from a single plant, choose an Itoh. ‘Bartzella’ or ‘Cora Louise’ delivers three to four weeks of flowers versus the 7–10 days typical of herbaceous cultivars, and neither needs staking. For a full six-week season across multiple plants, combine an early-season tree peony (‘High Noon’ or ‘Renkaku’) with a midseason herbaceous type (‘Coral Charm’ or ‘Karl Rosenfield’) and a late-season lactiflora (‘Sarah Bernhardt’).
For fragrance above everything else: ‘Festiva Maxima’ is the herbaceous benchmark; ‘High Noon’ is the best option among tree peonies; ‘Bartzella’ offers a lighter citrus note among Itohs. For cut flowers specifically, ‘Sarah Bernhardt,’ ‘Coral Charm,’ and ‘Bartzella’ are the most reliable performers with the best vase life and stems that don’t shatter when cut.
For zone-by-zone bloom timing data, see When Do Peonies Bloom? For complete planting, fertilizing, and seasonal care instructions, visit our Peony Care Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest peony variety?
In terms of garden rarity, Paeonia mlokosewitschii (Molly the Witch) and ‘Souvenir de Maxime Cornu’ are among the hardest to source at general retail. Among Itoh collector varieties, ‘Kopper Kettle’ has limited commercial availability. Truly rare peonies — unreleased species hybrids and wild-collected forms — exist mainly in botanical garden collections and specialist nurseries.
Do Itoh peonies come back every year?
Yes. Like herbaceous peonies, Itohs die back to the ground in autumn and regrow from the roots each spring. They’re reliably perennial in USDA Zones 4–9. The semi-woody base that develops over years should be left in place — it’s not dead wood, and cutting it off sets the plant back.
Can you plant tree and herbaceous peonies together?
Yes, and it’s a practical combination for sequential bloom: tree peonies flower two to three weeks earlier, so pairing them with herbaceous types extends the season in the same bed. Give tree peonies more vertical space and some protection from late frosts that can burn newly emerged buds. A planting of ‘High Noon’ (tree) with ‘Coral Charm’ (herbaceous) and ‘Bartzella’ (Itoh) will give you color from early May through mid-June in Zone 6.
Why are Itoh peonies more expensive than herbaceous ones?
Itoh hybrids are sterile — they produce no viable seed — so every plant must be propagated by division or tissue culture. Division from a mature clump yields only a few divisions per plant per season, and tissue culture still requires years of grow-out time before sale. This is why prices remain higher than herbaceous cultivars despite the availability improvements tissue culture has brought since the early 2000s. Premium Itoh cultivars like ‘Kopper Kettle’ will still run $50–$80 at specialist nurseries.
Sources
- RHS: Herbaceous Peonies Guide
- RHS: Intersectional (Itoh) Peonies Guide
- RHS: Tree Peonies Guide
- Ohio State University Extension: Itoh Hybrid Peonies (bygl.osu.edu/node/1611)
- Morris Arboretum & Gardens: The Measured Magic of Molly the Witch (morrisarboretum.org)
- Chicago Botanic Garden: Paeonia ‘Kopper Kettle’ (chicagobotanic.org)
- RHS: Paeonia × lemoinei ‘Souvenir de Maxime Cornu’
