In late spring, a Festiva Maxima opens big white double flowers with a few crimson flecks near the center, and the scent reaches you before you reach the bed.
What Is the Festiva Maxima Peony?
Festiva Maxima is a herbaceous garden peony with large, fragrant, double white flowers marked with crimson flecks. It opens early in the peony season, so it is often among the first whites in the border.
The plant reaches 18 to 24 inches tall and wide, a compact clump that fits a mixed bed without crowding its neighbors.
It is an old variety, and one that gardeners still plant today.
From the almanac
Peonies in your state
The dates on this page depend on where you live. Your state's page carries its frost dates, its USDA zones and the year laid out month by month.
Northeast
Southeast
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific Northwest
Canada
Where Does the Festiva Maxima Peony Grow Best?
This one asks for less chill than many, which is why it does well in the South. Here is how that plays out in a few places.
- South Carolina Upstate: Gardeners here can grow it, and extension advice from South Carolina calls this double old favorite a good performer in Southern gardens.
- North Carolina Piedmont: The low chill requirement means mild winters still give enough cold for flower buds to form.
- Fairbanks, Alaska: In trial plantings, the flowers opened between late June and early July, and the cut stems met only the standard for U.S. No. 2.
A state selector appears just below this section, and it takes you to the page for your own state.
How to Care for the Festiva Maxima Peony Through the Year
Spring Growth
Red shoots push up in early spring, and this is the time to confirm the spot. Festiva Maxima wants full sun or part shade and well-drained, loamy soil, so a bed that stays soggy after rain will not suit it.
Leave room for a clump that spreads 18 to 24 inches wide.
Bloom
Flowers open in May and June. The large double heads get heavy, and a wet spring day can bow them to the ground, so put a ring support around the clump before the buds swell.
Cut a few stems for a vase while the buds are still soft, because the scent fills a room.
Summer
After the petals drop, the foliage keeps working to feed next year’s buds. Water the clump deeply during dry spells and leave the leaves in place.
In the South, a little afternoon shade eases the heat on the plant.
Fall Cutback
When the leaves yellow and fade, cut the stems down near the soil. Rake the debris out of the bed and throw it away rather than composting it, so nothing that could carry trouble stays near the crowns.
Winter
The crown rests below ground and needs the cold to form flower buds. Since this variety asks for little chill, a mild Southern winter usually delivers enough, and no covering is needed.
Festiva Maxima Peony Diseases and Weak Points
Festiva Maxima is a gentle plant for the wider garden. Its flowers draw helpful insects, which matters in lawns and beds where soil pests are a concern.
Its limits show up mostly in how it performs in cold, short-season climates.
| Threat | How Festiva Maxima handles it |
|---|---|
| White grubs | Flowers attract spring Tiphia wasps, which are natural enemies of the grubs |
| Cut-flower grading in cold climates | Met only the standards for U.S. No. 2 in Alaska trials |
For anything else that appears on the leaves or stems, pull the affected growth and clear it away, and ask your local extension office to identify the problem.
Is the Festiva Maxima Peony Right for Your Yard?
It suits a gardener with a sunny or lightly shaded bed, loamy soil that drains, and room for a clump 18 to 24 inches across. It is a good match for mild-winter regions, though it will not give you the grading quality of a cold-climate cut flower farm.
- Choose it for a Southern yard, where the low chill requirement lets it flower in May and June.
- Pair it with other whites such as Baroness Schroeder, Miss America, Duchesse de Nemours, Princess Bride or Shirley Temple for a longer white display.
- Skip it for a soggy corner or a deep shade planting, where the flowers will be few.
Common Questions
How Old Is the Festiva Maxima Peony?
It was introduced in 1851, and it remains among the popular white-flowered peonies on the market.
What Other White Peonies Can You Plant with It?
Baroness Schroeder, Miss America, Duchesse de Nemours, Princess Bride and Shirley Temple are other white-flowered choices that sit well beside it.
Can You Grow Festiva Maxima in Alaska?
Trial plantings in Fairbanks flowered between late June and early July. The cut stems graded as U.S. No. 2, so expect pretty garden flowers rather than top-grade cut stems.