Hardy Peonies

Peonies have been an American garden favorite for generations — the cherished "pineys" of grandmothers' gardens — and their popularity is well earned. Few perennials combine such hardiness with such dependable, long-lived bloom.

Built to Last

Peonies can sleep through winters as cold as 50 degrees below zero and wake up in spring completely uninjured. Some specimen plants over 150 years old have never once failed to bloom. The one real threat is timing: an unseasonably warm early spring can push buds along too fast, leaving them vulnerable to a late freeze.

Extending the Bloom Season

Peony flowers range from white through every shade of pink to deep red, with some yellow and sulfur-toned varieties too, in forms from single and dainty to fully double. By choosing a careful mix of varieties — including singles and tree peonies — the bloom period can stretch to six weeks or more. Most varieties have sturdy stems and hold up well as cut flowers, which is part of why peonies are traditionally used to decorate graves for Memorial Day.