Hybrid Peonies

Hybrid Peonies are hardy garden perennials,the result of crossing two or more different species peonies.

They grow best in a well drained soil and are not recommended for heavy clay soils. If you wish to grow them in such a location we suggest they be planted in a raised bed filled with at least a 12" depth of well drained soil composed of 1/3 black dirt , 1/3 sand and 1/3 peat moss that is well mixed and slightly mounded in the center of the bed to further encourage good drainage.

Peony Athena (Saunders 1949)
Peony Athena is a stunning patterned, early blooming single, apricot buff with rosy pink flares inside each petal. The strong 30" stems grow quickly in the spring and the flower has a pleasant,light fragrance. This is one of Professor Saunders' Quad hybrids involving 4 different peony species in its background. The foliage stays healthy all season. Plant in full sun. Week 2 bloom date rating.

Peony Alexander Woollcott RARE (Saunders 1941)
Peony Alexander Woollcott an early blooming hybrid has a semi-double glossy, crimson red flower that is a bright cardinal red. The flowers are held on 24 - 30" stems with dark glossy green foliage and hold the cup shaped flowers upright. The vivid color does not fade until petal fall. A cross between Marie Jacquin and P. peregrina (lobata)it is one of the famous hybrids of Dr. Saunders. The garden display created when in bloom is incredible. If I was limited to only 10 peonies this one would be included in that special group. Week 4 bloom date rating.

Peony Bravura (Saunders 1943)
Peony Bravura is a brilliant true crimson red colored early blooming Saunders' hybrid peony with a large cup shaped bloom. Although registered as a single it has an extra row of petals with a light yellow center. A compact 25" tall it requires no support in the garden. Very early blooming, medium green foliage. Very quick to establish it makes a nice display in the garden with its vibrant true red colored blooms. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 3 bloom date rating.

Peony Bright Knight RARE (Glasscock 1939)
Very rarely offered Peony Bright Knight is a large single hybrid peony flower that has a bright, true red color with an orange cast that makes it light up the garden with hot color. Early to bloom the very large flowers are held on strong stiff stems above dark green foliage. Strong grower that requires no support in the garden. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 4 bloom date rating.

Peony Buckeye Belle GM/ALM (Mains 1956)American Peony Society Gold Medal and Award of Landscape Merit Winner! Peony Buckeye Belle always amazes people with it's deep mahogany, black-red, cup shaped semi-double flowers. It is a wonderful hybrid blooming very early. The cup shape holds a center of gold to accent the dark flower petals. Top notch cut flower and very nice foliage all season long. The 30" stems hold the flowers upright without any additional support making it a great choice for landscaping. Fantastic dark green upright foliage adds to it's neat appearance in the garden. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 4 bloom date rating.

Peony Cardinal's Robe is a single hybrid peony with glossy, scarlet red flowers. A sought after rarity of many Saunders peony collectors and noted as one of his best for its brilliant color. Compact at only 26” tall. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil. Week 4 bloom date rating.

Peony Carol (Bockstoce 1955)
Peony Carol has huge double, rich velvety red blooms with large petals arranged as a rosette, these large flowers need support, great show flower and cut, early midseason bloom on strong stems, 28" - 34" tall. Cut them for use in a georgeous arrangement in a vase. Outstanding color and full form. When dried the flower is a deep velvet red. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 5 bloom date rating. One of Mr. Bockstoce's stunning breeding achievements!

Peony Coralie RARE (Saunders 1940)
Peony Coralie is a rare Saunders hybrid with very large single crepe-like blooms of a glowing coral pink color. Peony Coralie is a "lobata of Perry" hybrid that has the genes for the fantastic bright coral pink colors that were unknown in the common garden peonies that form the backbone of most garden peonies. Earlier blooming it is an outstanding addition to the border. It has large pointed buds that make it easy to pick out in the field as the flower approaches bloom season. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil. Week 4 bloom date rating.

Peony Dearest (Pehrson/Hollingsworth 1992)
Peony Dearest is a single pink hybrid, fertile tetraploid, greenish cream white petals edged and veined cool, sharp pink, stigmas and filaments pink, a new unique pattern for peonies, very early and very strong 34" stems. Useful for further hybridizing, fertile both ways. Dawn Glow is one of it's parents. The glossy reflective surface of the petals is a unique feature of this flower. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil. Week 3 bloom date rating.

Peony Diana Parks (Bockstoce 1942)
Peony Diana Parks. It's love at first sight for most people when they see this big, fragrant, bomb shaped brilliant, glittering carmine red blooms with a hint of orange on this hybrid peony with 38" stems. Splendid texture and color. Very fragrant. I can’t imagine being without this wonderful double flowered hybrid. Make sure it is planted in an area with good drainage as with all peonies they do not like wet soggy soil. Week 5 bloom date rating.

Peony Early Scout GM/ALM (Auten 1952)
Peony Early Scout is a very early blooming single to semi-double hybrid that has very dark crimson-red flowers above finely cut ferny foliage from its fern-leaf peony parent. 21" The plant will spread to form an impressive plant. APS Gold Medal and Award of Landscape Merit Winner! Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 2 bloom date rating.

Peony Edward Steichen a semi-double vivid dark red Saunder's hybrid,large handsome flowers, lasts well, spreading habit, finest of this strain. Early 30" tall. Has produced an occasional seed which is rare for some of these Saunders hybrids. Foliage is a chartreuse color when first emerging adding to it's garden interest. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Week 3 bloom date rating.

Peony Eliza Lundy ALM (Kreckler 1975)
Peony Eliza Lundy is a marvelous compact growing glowing red double, bomb form hybrid peony. Not widely found except among the specialty peony growers it is a charming find. It has a bloom date rating of week 5 so it stretches out the season for the brilliant hybrids that typically bloom earlier. 24" tall. Plant in a well drained soil in full sun.

Hybrid Peonies are some of the earliest peonies to bloom after the tree peonies and species peonies. There are a variety of leaf forms from narrow cutleaf forms to large almost tropical looking huge leaflets that make selection of these hybrid peonies even more interesting.

Hybrid peonies are often noted for their very strong stems which need no staking except for the largest double flowered forms. Because of this they make excellent landscape plants in the garden and cut flowers too. Those peonies with strong stems that do not require support in the garden are pointed out in the descriptions. You will find in our peony list many very difficult to find hybrid varieties.

They exhibit all the flower forms found in our traditional garden peonies and tend to have a greater representation in the single and semi-double forms. In many cases the colors of hybrid peonies are more dramatic and unmatched in the regular garden peonies especially in the red, yellow, and coral colors. There are some strikingly beautiful doubles and very rarely are they found in the form called Japanese. The most striking example is the variety Walter Mains.

Elegant hybrid flowers are found in colors from soft pastel lavender, fluorescent pink, coral, orange-red to vibrant cardinal red and yes even yellow which is found in it's brightest color among the intersectional peonies like Prairie Charm and the fragrant variety Yellow Crown.

Hybrid Peonies have some unusual parents involved in their genetic background and as a result they often have a very different root and crown structure. The most notable is when all the growing buds are clustered at the top a long and narrow crown which makes division very difficult. This also accounts for a smaller number of divisions from a single plant. Most all possess very strong stems and produce colorful peony bloom weeks ahead of the common garden peony varieties. The colorful hybrids are often in great demand by those looking for quality garden plants. Flower colors for the hybrid peonies vary from the brightest white to the darkest near black with vibrant reds, pastel pink, lavender, yellow, creamy pink and others with two tone coloration. Extend the peony bloom season with a selection of these hardy garden plants.

The emerging foliage can be a stunning chocolate brown and seed pods with bright coral and steel blue seeds add interest later in the growing season adding to their garden value. Most bloom two weeks ahead of garden peonies providing color for a longer period of time in the garden. Because of their close relation to species peonies they all demand excellent drainage and none tolerate soggy soils so pick a spot just to their liking for success.