Sarah Bernhardt opens in late spring as a big, ruffled pink double, long after the early peonies have dropped their petals. Gardeners in cold-winter country plant it for exactly that late show.

What Is the Sarah Bernhardt Peony?

Sarah Bernhardt is a herbaceous peony, so it dies to the ground each fall and returns from its roots in spring. The flower is a pink double, a full rosette of petals rather than a single ring around a yellow center.

It belongs to the late group, and the soft, light pink opens after many other varieties have finished. In Kansas trials, the blooms came in May, which gives you color when the early-season garden is fading.

Check the plant tag for mature height and spread, since size varies with the nursery’s stock and your soil.

Where Does the Sarah Bernhardt Peony Grow Best?

Herbaceous peonies want a real winter, because cold sets the buds for the following spring. Hot, mild-winter places leave them short of that rest, so the plant sulks and flowers poorly.

• Upper Midwest and Great Plains: Winters in Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas give the roots the chill they need, and this late pink has been grown for cut flowers in Kansas trials.
• Interior Alaska: In Fairbanks trials, Sarah Bernhardt grew and flowered through hard winters, and it was among the productive cultivars in 2003.
• Gulf Coast and the Deep South: Warm winters in Louisiana, Mississippi and southern Georgia rarely deliver enough cold, and summer heat adds stress.

The state selector rendered just under this section takes you to the page for your own state, where the planting and bloom months are laid out.

How to Care for the Sarah Bernhardt Peony Through the Year

Spring Growth

Red shoots push up as the soil warms. Keep the crown shallow, with the buds just below the surface, since a deeply buried crown gives leaves and few flowers.

Set the support ring or stakes over the clump now, while the shoots are short. Heavy double flowers bend stems over, and it is far easier to place a ring before the foliage fills in.

Bloom

Flowers come late, in May in Kansas trials. That timing can overlap with spring rain, and wet double blooms get heavy and flop, so the early support pays off here.

If you cut stems for the house, take them when the buds are soft and just opening. In one Alaska trial, a big flowering year was followed by fewer buds the next season, so a lighter harvest may be wise.

Summer

Water deeply in dry spells and keep the leaves dry by watering at the base. Wet foliage is where fungal trouble starts, so leave air space between the clump and its neighbors.

Guard rows of this variety were planted along the edges of an Alaska trial as a buffer. In your yard, the same idea works: a tall, dense clump shelters smaller plants nearby.

Fall Cutback

Once frost has blackened the foliage, cut the stems to the ground and remove the debris. Old leaves carry fungal spores, and removing them cuts the chance of repeat trouble next spring.

Winter

Leave the bare crown alone. This peony wants cold, so heavy winter mulch is unnecessary. In very harsh places, a light cover over a young plant is enough, and you should pull it back as growth begins.

Sarah Bernhardt Peony Diseases and Weak Points

Fungal leaf spots and blights are the usual worry with double peonies. Sarah Bernhardt shows lesions on leaves, sepals and guard petals, and the lesions respond to a fungicide.

The other weak point is flower production, which can swing from one year to the next.

Threat	How Sarah Bernhardt handles it
Lesions on leaves, sepals and guard petals	Smaller lesions with fungicide treatment at 8 and 12 weeks
Fungal disease overall	One of just two cultivars in the trial that showed disease suppression with fungicide
Flower bud production	Fell in 2004, among the greatest drops of any cultivar tested
Cut-flower grade	Met the standards for U.S. No. 2 in one trial

A fungicide helps, but sanitation and airflow do much of the work. Cutting the plant to the ground in fall and spacing clumps apart keep disease pressure low.

Is the Sarah Bernhardt Peony Right for Your Yard?

It suits a sunny bed with room to spread, where a late pink double fits the color plan and a support ring is no bother. It is a poor fit for warm-winter yards or for gardeners who want zero upkeep.

• Gardeners in cold-winter states will find a late bloomer that reliably extends peony season into the end of spring.
• Those in hot, mild-winter states should look at the state page first to see whether the chill is there before buying.

Open the state selector above to reach your own state page, then plant according to its months.

Common Questions

Is Sarah Bernhardt a Herbaceous Peony?

Yes. It dies back to the ground each winter and regrows from the crown in spring, so cut it down after frost.

Can You Grow Sarah Bernhardt in Alaska?

Trials in Fairbanks grew it successfully, and it was among the productive cultivars in 2003. Guard rows were planted on the east and west sides in those trials.

Why Does a Sarah Bernhardt Peony Make Fewer Flowers Some Years?

Bud counts can swing. In an Alaska trial, this variety dropped sharply in 2004 after a strong 2003. Cut fewer stems after a heavy year and keep the plant watered through summer.

Red Charm opens early in the peony season, with deep red double blooms on stems that stay short enough for a front border. It is an herbaceous hybrid with fragrant, early red flowers.

What Is the Red Charm Peony?

Red Charm is an herbaceous hybrid peony. The stems die back to the ground each winter and return from the roots in spring, so it is not a shrub and not an Itoh.

The flowers are double and red, packed into a rounded, full form that growers call a bomb. They are fragrant and open early in the peony season, ahead of many older garden varieties.

The plant stands about 2 feet tall, which keeps it in scale with a walkway edge or the front of a mixed bed. Check the plant tag for the mature spread of the division you buy.

Where Does the Red Charm Peony Grow Best?

Check local guidance before choosing a site for Red Charm.

• Upper Midwest and Northern Plains: Ask a local garden center whether Red Charm suits your winter conditions.
• Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: Ask a local garden center whether Red Charm suits your conditions.
• Gulf Coast and Deep South: Ask a local garden center whether Red Charm suits your climate.

Use the state selector below for local planting and care timing.

How to Care for the Red Charm Peony Through the Year

Spring Growth

Red shoots push up early, and the plant grows quickly once the soil warms.

Red Charm stands about 2 feet tall.

Bloom Season

This variety flowers early.

The blooms are fragrant.

Summer

Fall Cutback

Winter

Red Charm Peony Diseases and Weak Points

Cut Red Charm flowers can darken in storage. Stems cut and held in storage can darken, and how the petals age depends on what the stems stand in.

Threat	How Red Charm handles it
Cut flowers held in cold storage	Blooms turned dark while stored
Cut flowers in plain water	Petals drop as the flower ages
Cut flowers in floral preservative	The flower wilts instead of dropping petals

Floral preservative changes how Red Charm flowers fade, while flowers can darken in storage.

Is the Red Charm Peony Right for Your Yard?

Red Charm has fragrant red flowers and blooms early.

• You will find it works well as a front-of-border plant, with a modest 2-foot height, for cutting, and for fragrance near a path. Plan to site it where you can see the early bloom.
• Open your state’s page on this site to see when planting and cutback fall where you live, then mark those months on your calendar.

Common Questions

Why Do Red Charm Peony Blooms Turn Dark After Cutting?

Stored stems have been seen to darken, and the effect is stronger when flowers sit in cold storage. Floral preservative changes how the flowers fade.

Does Red Charm Peony Need Staking?

Red Charm grows about 2 feet tall and has double red flowers.

Why Does a Red Charm Peony Produce Leaves but No Flowers?

Sources : chicagobotanic.org

Peony buds swelling red along the stems in late spring mean a bloom is coming, and Karl Rosenfield is a variety that has long been grown for exactly that moment.

What Is the Karl Rosenfield Peony?

Karl Rosenfield is an herbaceous garden peony. It dies back to the ground each winter and sends up fresh shoots in spring, so it behaves like a perennial rather than a shrub.

The flower is usually described as a mid red, and it earned that label in a Kansas cut-flower trial where stems were harvested in mid to late May. A garden listing from North Carolina places it among the pink-flowering peonies, so expect some red-to-pink variation depending on light, soil and the stock you buy.

It also has a record for productivity. In a peony trial in Alaska, it was among the most productive varieties in 2003, a good sign for a plant that has to prove itself every spring.

Where Does the Karl Rosenfield Peony Grow Best?

Herbaceous peonies need a real winter chill to set buds, and this variety follows that rule. Check the zone range on the plant tag before buying, then match it to your region.

• Interior Alaska: Trial plants near Fairbanks flowered between late June and early July, so even a short, cold growing season is enough for Karl Rosenfield to bloom.
• Kansas and the Great Plains: Cold winters suit it, and it has been grown here for cut flowers, with harvest in mid to late May.
• North Carolina: A garden listing includes it among pink peonies for the state. In the Piedmont and mountains, winters are cold enough for buds. Closer to the coast, mild winters and summer heat tend to give fewer flowers.
• Gulf Coast and southern Florida: Winters are generally too warm for peonies to set buds reliably, so expect leaves with few blooms.

The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your state, where the timing for your yard is spelled out.

How to Care for the Karl Rosenfield Peony Through the Year

Spring Growth

Red shoots push up early, and the plant puts on most of its growth before flowering. Keep the crown in full sun and clear away old mulch so the shoots are not buried too deep.

Set a ring or grid of support over the clump while it is still low. Karl Rosenfield carries mid red flowers, and a prop placed early is hidden by the leaves later.

Bloom

Flowering falls in late spring in Kansas and arrives later, from late June to early July, where seasons are short, as in Alaska. Cut stems for the vase when the buds feel ready, and check with your local extension office for the right stage.

Pick in the cool of the morning and leave plenty of foliage on the plant. The leaves feed the roots that make next year’s flowers.

Summer

After the petals drop, snip off the spent flowers but keep the leaves. Water deeply in dry spells so the roots can store energy for the next year.

Give the clump room for air to move through the foliage. Dense, damp leaves are where peony troubles start in humid summers.

Fall Cutting

Once frost blackens or yellows the foliage, cut the stems back. Rake up the cuttings and put them in the trash rather than the compost pile, because leaf diseases can overwinter on old tops.

Winter

Leave the crown alone. The cold is what prepares the buds for spring, and the eyes should sit near the soil surface. In very cold places a light layer of loose mulch over young plants protects them from heaving, and it comes off once growth starts.

Karl Rosenfield Peony Diseases and Weak Points

Like other herbaceous peonies, Karl Rosenfield can have disease problems on buds, stems and leaves, particularly in humid, crowded plantings. Good air flow and clean fall cutting are the main defenses.

Its heavy flowers are the other weak point. A rainstorm can bend the stems to the ground, so a support put up in spring saves the display. Keep the eyes close to the surface when planting.

Is the Karl Rosenfield Peony Right for Your Yard?

This variety suits a sunny spot with room for a wide clump, a cold winter and a willingness to stake. It is a poor match for shade, for heat with mild winters, or for a gardener who wants a plant that needs no support.

• Choose it for a cut-flower bed or a sunny border where red to pink blooms can arrive in late spring, once the plant has settled in.
• Skip it in warm southern yards where winters stay mild, and look for varieties bred for low-chill regions.
• Plant in fall and put the stake in place before the shoots come up in spring.

Common Questions

Is the Karl Rosenfield Peony Red or Pink?

Descriptions vary. Cut-flower growers list it as a mid red, while a garden listing groups it with pink peonies. Light and soil can shift the shade, so judge by the flowers on your own plant.

Can You Grow Karl Rosenfield in a Cold Climate Like Alaska?

Yes. In trials near Fairbanks it flowered from late June to early July and stood out as one of the more productive varieties, so a short, cold season is not a barrier.

Does Karl Rosenfield Make a Good Cut Flower?

It has been evaluated as a fresh-cut variety in Kansas, with stems harvested in mid to late May. Cut in the morning when buds are soft and colored, and leave leaves on the plant.

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.

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.

Early in the peony season, a low mound of feathery, thread-fine foliage opens single or double flowers in dark red, usually before the larger peonies have even set color. That is the fernleaf peony, Paeonia tenuifolia, a small herbaceous plant with a look all its own.

What Is the Fernleaf Peony?

Fernleaf peony is an herbaceous peony, so the stems and leaves die back to the ground each winter and the plant returns from the roots in spring. Its foliage is finely divided and fern-like, which sets it apart from the broad, glossy leaves of common garden peonies.

The flowers are single or double and are often only available in dark red or burgundy. It is typically the first peony to flower, and it is often the smallest peony type, rarely reaching more than 2 feet tall. That compact habit suits a front edge or a spot beside a path.

Where Does the Fernleaf Peony Grow Best?

Herbaceous peonies want a real winter rest and tolerate summer heat only so well, so the plant does better where cold is dependable and summers are not punishing.

• Upper Midwest: Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin give the deep winter chill that herbaceous peonies expect, and gardeners there grow this type with the other peonies.
• New England: Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts offer cold winters and cool springs, which suit an early bloomer with fine foliage.
• Pacific Northwest: The Willamette Valley and the Puget Sound area have mild summers, though the lack of hard cold in the mildest spots can mean fewer flowers.
• Gulf Coast: Mild winters and long, humid heat in Louisiana, Mississippi and coastal Texas leave an herbaceous peony short on rest and stressed in summer.

The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your state, where you can see what suits your own yard.

How to Care for the Fernleaf Peony Through the Year

Spring Growth

New shoots rise from the crown, and the finely cut leaves fill in quickly. This type can be difficult to establish, so a newly planted fernleaf peony needs patience. Keep the soil lightly moist while roots settle and resist the urge to dig it up if growth looks slow.

Bloom

Because it is typically the first peony to flower, the buds open ahead of the other peonies in your yard. A hard late frost can catch those early buds, so watch the forecast and be ready to cover the plant overnight. Single or double dark red flowers stand out against the lacy leaves.

Summer

After flowering, the foliage stays attractive as a fine green mound. Water during dry spells so the plant keeps its leaves and stores energy in the roots for next year. Its small habit means the plant seldom flops, so staking is rarely needed.

Fall Cutback

As an herbaceous peony, the foliage fades and browns once the weather cools. Cut the stems back to the ground and remove the clippings from the bed rather than leaving them to rot around the crown.

Winter

The plant rests underground, and that chill is part of how it prepares to bloom. Leave the bed alone and mark the spot so nobody digs or plants over a plant that slow to settle.

Fernleaf Peony Diseases and Weak Points

The plant’s main weak point is getting started. A young fernleaf peony can be slow to take hold, and a failed first year is more often about patience and placement than about disease.

Give it a sunny, well-drained spot and avoid crowding it, since airy foliage stays healthier when air can move through it.

Threat	How Fernleaf handles it
Slow establishment	Can be difficult to establish, so plant it where it can stay undisturbed

Tall stems that flop are rarely a problem on a plant this small, so the cages and ties that larger peonies need can stay in the shed.

Is the Fernleaf Peony Right for Your Yard?

It suits gardeners who like fine texture, want an early burst of dark red, and have a small space to fill. It is a poorer match if you want large, fragrant, pastel blooms or need fast results in the first year.

• Choose it for a front border, a rock garden edge or a spot beside the walk, where a small plant gets noticed.
• Skip it if your winters are mild and your summers long, or if you want a big flower for cutting.
• Check the plant tag for the mature size before planting, then open the page for your state to see how it fits your climate.

Common Questions

Does the Fernleaf Peony Come in Colors Other than Red?

Flowers are often only available in dark red or burgundy, so that is the color most gardeners will find. Check the plant tag if you hope for something different.

Why Is My Fernleaf Peony Slow to Grow?

It can be difficult to establish, so a quiet first season is common. If the foliage is also yellowing and the soil stays soggy, drainage is the likelier problem and the plant needs a drier spot.

Will the Fernleaf Peony Flower Before Other Peonies?

Yes. It is typically the first peony to flower, so its blooms come ahead of the larger types planted beside it.

Buckeye Belle is a very early peony with dark mahogany red flowers. This hybrid of Paeonia officinalis and P. lactiflora blooms ahead of most of its neighbors.

What Is the Buckeye Belle Peony?

Buckeye Belle is a cross between Paeonia officinalis and Paeonia lactiflora. The flower is semi-double and faces upward, which shows off the golden center to anyone standing over it.

Each bloom is 4-6 inches across. Four or so layers of dark mahogany red petals form a cupped, rounded outer skirt, while narrower, deeply cut petaloids fill the middle around thick yellow anthers.

The center never looks quite the same twice. It varies from bloom to bloom and changes as the flower ages, which gives a clump a loose, slightly untidy charm.

Where Does the Buckeye Belle Peony Grow Best?

Check the plant tag and ask a local garden center whether Buckeye Belle suits your climate. The plant tag lists its zone range, so check it before buying. The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your state.

• Check the plant tag and ask a local garden center whether Buckeye Belle suits your area.

Use the plant tag to choose a site that matches the plant’s local growing needs.

How to Care for the Buckeye Belle Peony Through the Year

Spring Growth

Buckeye Belle is a very early-blooming peony.

Bloom

Buckeye Belle opens early, about 1 to 2 weeks ahead of the other peonies in the landscape. The centers vary from bloom to bloom and change as each flower ages.

Each upward-facing, semi-double flower is 4-6 inches across.

Summer

Fall Cutback

Winter

Buckeye Belle Peony Diseases and Weak Points

Ask a local garden center about disease risks for peonies in your area.

Is the Buckeye Belle Peony Right for Your Yard?

It suits a gardener who wants a very early peony with dark mahogany red flowers and centers that vary as they age. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants identical-looking flowers.

• Choose it for upward-facing, semi-double flowers in dark mahogany red.
• Choose it if you want a peony that flowers very early.
• Open your state page to see when to plant and cut back where you live, then mark those months on the calendar.

Common Questions

Why Does Every Buckeye Belle Flower Look a Little Different in the Center?

The center of each bloom varies from flower to flower and changes as the bloom matures. That is part of the variety’s character, not a sign of poor health.

Do Buckeye Belle Peonies Need Staking?

Decide whether to add support after watching how the stems hold the flowers in your garden.

Can You Cut Buckeye Belle Peonies for a Vase?

Yes.

Sources : le-chatel-des-vivaces.com

Bartzella has yellow flowers with a red flare at the center and returns from bare ground each spring. This Itoh hybrid has made its way into yards from Alaska’s Interior to North Carolina. Where it grows, when it blooms and how to look after it through the year all come down to a few clear habits.

What Is the Bartzella Peony?

Bartzella is an Itoh hybrid, a cross between a common garden peony and a tree peony. The flowers are yellow with reddish centers, semi-double to double, and fragrant.

Despite the tree peony parent, the plant dies back to the ground each winter and sends up new shoots in spring. It does not build a woody framework like a tree peony.

Itoh peonies are known for large flowers and interesting foliage. Flowering falls in midseason.

Where Does the Bartzella Peony Grow Best?

Bartzella has been grown in cold-winter and mild-winter states alike, and the details change with the region. The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your own state.

• Interior Alaska: Around Fairbanks it is hardy at warmer sites, and it needs snow cover over the winter to come back.
• North Carolina: Bartzella is a good performer in the state.
• North Dakota: Itoh peonies are grown here alongside common peonies, which shows that a prairie winter does not rule them out.
• Its flowers may be semi-double or double, with yellow petals, red markings at the center, and fragrance.

In very mild climates, ask a local garden center which Itoh types do well.

How to Care for the Bartzella Peony Through the Year

Spring

Bartzella comes up from the ground like a common peony, not from old wood. New shoots push up in spring, and the foliage is part of the show, so give it room where the leaves can be seen.

Bloom

Bloom arrives in midseason, and the flowers are fragrant. Plant it near a path or a patio where you pass often.

Bartzella is known for its large flowers.

Summer

The foliage remains interesting after flowering.

Fall Cutback

Bartzella dies back each year and leaves no woody structure above ground.

Winter

At warmer sites in Interior Alaska, Bartzella needs snow cover through winter.

The plant leaves nothing visible above ground until spring.

Bartzella Peony Diseases and Weak Points

In Interior Alaska, winter snow cover is important for Bartzella. At warmer sites in Interior Alaska, Bartzella is hardy and needs snow cover.

Cut flowers are another limit. The stems are short for cutting.

Ask your local extension office or garden center before spraying anything.

Is the Bartzella Peony Right for Your Yard?

Bartzella suits a bed where you want a large, fragrant yellow flower and interesting foliage. It is a poor fit if you want long stems for cutting.

• At warmer sites in Interior Alaska, plant it where snow will cover it in winter, then wait for the midseason flowers.
• In North Carolina, Bartzella is a good performer; ask a local nursery about timing in your area.

Common Questions

Can You Cut Bartzella Peonies for a Vase?

You can, but the stems are short, so plan on a low bowl or a small vase. The semi-double to double flowers and their fragrance still make the effort worthwhile.

Is Bartzella a Tree Peony?

No. It is an Itoh hybrid with a tree peony as one parent, yet it behaves like an herbaceous peony and dies back to the ground every winter.

What Does a Bartzella Flower Look Like?

The flower is yellow, with a red flare or reddish center. It may be semi-double or fully double, which is why plants in different gardens can look a little different.

Sources : americanpeonysociety.org