The Gansu group of tree peonies is the next to bloom. This group of peonies is a subset of the Suffruticosa group, distinguished by a purple flare at the center of each flower petal. Originally from the Gansu region of China, these plants are also referred to as Rockii peonies, as Joseph Rock helped make them famous outside of China. These plants are fast-growing for tree peonies, exceptionally hardy, and grow up to 7 feet tall. This group has thin billowy leaves that give a more informal appearance. They tend to cross-pollinate and produce wonderful seeds that can be grown into new cultivars. Peony’s Envy boasts a large collection of Gansu tree peonies.

Note this is our best guess for the timing of the bloom. Warm weather will speed it up, cool with extend it, rain and wind can change it overnight, and a sunny day can make everything pop. Some days will have thousands of flowers in bloom and others will not.