Paeonia

Family : Paeoniaceae

Often referred to as the Queen of the border, these long lived perennials make over a number of years large clumps that produce upright stems with large often fragrant flowers in late spring. There are Paeonia cultivars that will flower from early May to mid June giving a stunning display for 6 to 8 weeks in the garden. Intersectional or ITOH peonies are a cross between herbaceous (Paeonia lactiflora) and woody-stemmed tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa). The plants are resistant to most pests and diseases, have huge flowers in many colors, and a mounded habit with leaves that die back to the ground. They will also flower from Scandinavia to Southern Europe.