Intersectional Peonies extend the peony bloom, flowering alongside mid- to late-blooming herbaceous peonies. Not all the buds open at once. Instead, they tend to have 2 or 3 flushes of flowers, with waves of bloom that last for 2 to 3 weeks. It is not uncommon to have a seed pod forming on a plant that still has buds waiting to open. These plants are not fertile, and therefore will not produce viable seeds. They provide the much-loved yellow color that is rare in herbaceous peonies. Kathleen’s favorite is Don Hollinsworth’s creation, the Garden Treasure cultivar.

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.

The peak herbaceous bloom coincides with the Classic Herbaceous Peony Bloom, known as Lactiflora peonies. The Lactiflora group is both the latest blooming and the most prolific classification of herbaceous peonies. These are the show-stopping, classic, old fashioned, fragrant, and incredibly floriferous herbaceous cultivars which, as a species, boast up to five flowers per stem. They create luscious, multi petaled blousy blooms that are known as quintessential peonies. With varying degrees of magenta pigment, Lactiflora peonies bloom in colors ranging from snow white to deep burgundy. This allows for easy garden design, as the colors of different cultivars blend effortlessly without clashing, since true reds, corals, and yellows don’t present. Our Grandma Peony Pack in our online peony catalog includes only the pinks & whites in this group, and our Cut Flower Pack contains the white, pinks and magentas. Cultivars in both packs make fabulous cut flowers and give that classic look. Their fragrance will bring back memories of childhood.

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.

True red herbaceous peonies are rare. Oftentimes, you think you have found a true red, but it turns out to be magenta! However, a wonderful set of true-red herbaceous hybrids does exist. They tend to be early- to mid-blooming. Some notable cultivars to look for include Red Charm, Henry Bockstoce, Many Happy Returns, and Red Grace.

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.

Another early-blooming group of hybrids is the coral group, a special subset of herbaceous peonies that is a hybrid between Peregrina & Lactiflora. Their sturdy stems make them both excellent cut flowers and garden plants, as they remain upright without staking. Perfect for a southern garden, early-blooming, wonderful to plant en masse. Two Cultivars to look for include Coral Charm and Coral sunset. Once the flowers open, they fade dramatically, making this a wonderful selection for en-masse planting. The entire colorway presents simultaneously as this group blooms.

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.

The herbaceous species Tenuifolia, commonly known as the fernleaf peonies, have vibrant red single flowers, slender fern-like leaves, short statures, and earliest bloom times. Tenuifolia is native to southeast Europe, and thrives in rock gardens, where drainage is high. Tenuifolia cross with Lactiflora produce fun hybrids. The leaves are less dissected than the Tenuifolia species, but remain deeply cut and add interest. Stems are strong and flowers are bright on these hybrids. Cultivars to look for include Early Scout and Merry Mayshine.

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.

Last of the tree peonies to bloom is the Lutea group, often overlapping with the bloom period of herbaceous peonies. Sometimes referred to as Delavayi, this group is a Tibetan species that has a wide variety of yellows, bronzes, and oranges.

Of special note is that lutea hybrids are the main tree peony group that has been used to create intersectional peony hybrids-intersectional peonies have inherited the wonderful colors of the lutea hybrids.

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.

The peak tree peony bloom coincides with the second half of the Suffruticosa Tree Peony bloom (the largest group), the middle of the Gansu Tree Peony bloom (flowers with purple flares in the center), and the beginning of the Lutea Tree Peony bloom (yellow and rust colored flowers). This means that you typically get to see some of all of the major types of tree peonies.

This bloom is a bit more subdued than the herbaceous peony bloom in that the plants are more spread out across the garden but we think it is the most magical time. These flowers are the size of your face, they are both bold and delicate at the same time, and they are in great abundance. This is a time not to miss!

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.

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.

The first tree peonies to bloom belong to the Suffruticosa group. Originating from the Central Plains of China, Suffruticosa is one of the largest and most genetically-diverse classifications of tree peonies. Colors bloom in all varieties of magenta, from white and pink to a deep maroon (yellows, oranges, and true reds are absent from this group). Though the chrysanthemum form dominates, flower form ranges from single to bomb. The leaves range in shape from medium to round/orbicular, and they vary tremendously in leaf color. Fragrance dominates in this group.

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.

The first peonies to bloom are Woodland Peonies. Woodland peonies are understory plants that grow in the shade. They typically leaf out and bloom early in the season, photosynthesizing as much as possible before leaves emerge on deciduous trees in spring and block out the sun. This characteristic leads to an early bloom time for woodland 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.