TYPES OF PEONIES

4 Herbaceous

This is the most common in Australian gardens. A perennial, it is slow-growing, but eventually forms a substantial bush about 90cm high and 50cm wide. The stems retreat in winter. Cut back those that linger and it will bounce back in spring.

Tree peony

More of a shrub than a tree because of its multiple stems, it grows to more than 2m and has a big impact. Plant it as a specimen in your garden to give it room to spread, and let its blooms shine without competition.

Itoh peony

This is a hybrid of the herbaceous and tree peony, cultivated by Japanese breeder Toichi Itoh. What makes it so adored is the huge blooms that flower over a longer period. It has the foliage of the tree peony but it also dies back to the ground like a herbaceous peony in winter. O‚en, its petals have a beautiful two-toned appearance.