Paeonia 'Gay Paree' Peony

Paeonia 'Gay Paree' is a late-blooming double peony that grows 24 to 36 inches tall and blooms heavily in mid to late spring. The anemone-shaped blooms have rose-pink outer petals and an elaborate center of creamy white petaloids. Borne on strong stems and delightfully fragrant, they make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers for monofloral bouquets or mixed arrangements.

A Paeonia lactiflora, commonly called peony or Chinese peony, 'Gay Paree' is a long-lived herbaceous perennial (Zones 3-8) that will return year after year, for decades in optimal conditions. It has a fast growth rate and an upright, shrubby habit of glossy green foliage that remains attractive throughout the growing season and may color up in fall, taking on purplish, rusty orange, or golden hues. 'Gay Paree' peony makes a gorgeous specimen or accent plant but is shown to best effect when grouped or massed in mixed beds and borders.

Easy to grow and low maintenance, 'Gay Paree' peony grows best in a sunny to partially shady spot with rich, fertile, medium moist, freely draining soil. It appreciates some afternoon shade, especially in hot summer climates, and should be sheltered from strong winds and watered regularly, more often in extreme heat. Heavy feeders, peonies benefit from an application of fertilize each spring after new growth appears. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Plant 'Gay Paree' peony roots in a sheltered location, spacing them 3 to 4 inches apart and 1½ to 2 inches deep. Choose your location carefully, away from trees and shrubs, as peonies do not like to compete for food and will not respond well to transplanting. Peonies relish cold winters because they require chilling for bud formation, so they may be more difficult to grow in Zones 9 and higher.