Why Peonies Have So Many Types
Types of peonies include three plant categories - herbaceous (the standard cut flower, dies back each fall), tree (woody-stemmed shrub with larger blooms), and intersectional or Itoh (hybrid combining both) - plus six main flower forms: single, semi-double, double, bomb, anemone, and Japanese. Most florist peonies in Canada are herbaceous double-form. Over 6,000 named peony cultivars have been bred since the plant was first cultivated 2,000 years ago.
For bouquet purposes, this narrows to two distinctions that matter: plant type (herbaceous vs tree vs intersectional) and flower form (single, double, bomb, etc). Most of what florists in Canada carry are herbaceous double varieties.
The Three Plant Types
Herbaceous peonies, tree peonies, and intersectional peonies are different plants:
- Herbaceous peonies - die back to the ground each fall; the standard cut flower; classic peony look
- Tree peonies - woody-stemmed shrubs; larger blooms, often with darker markings; less common as cut flowers
- Intersectional (Itoh) peonies - hybrid; combines herbaceous habit with tree-peony blooms; bigger flowers in a wider range of colours
Florist peonies in Canada are almost always herbaceous - those are the ones bred for cut-flower production. Tree and intersectional peonies are mostly garden flowers.
The Six Main Flower Forms
Within peonies, the flower form changes the look dramatically:
- Single - one row of petals around a centre of yellow stamens; clean and modern
- Semi-double - 2-3 rows of petals; still showing the stamen centre
- Double - fully packed petals all the way through; the wedding standard
- Bomb - a tight centre ball of petals surrounded by a flat collar of larger petals; very full
- Anemone - large outer petals around a centre of small petaloids; layered look
- Japanese - similar to anemone but with feathery centre petaloids; subtle
For most romantic bouquets, double-form peonies are the answer. For modern or minimalist arrangements, single or semi-double work better.
Popular Peony Varieties in Canada
The peony cultivars Canadian florists carry most often:
- Sarah Bernhardt - soft pink double; the volume leader
- Karl Rosenfield - deep red double; classic
- Festiva Maxima - white with red flecks; old variety, still popular
- Coral Charm - coral-peach; changes colour as it opens
- Bowl of Beauty - pink anemone with cream centre
- Duchesse de Nemours - white double; fragrant
- Red Charm - deep red bomb form
- Bartzella - intersectional, yellow double; rare and expensive
- Shirley Temple - blush pink fading to white
- Kansas - watermelon red
Peony Colours
Peonies come in a wide range, though the typical bouquet defaults to pink:
- Soft pink (Sarah Bernhardt) - the most-requested wedding peony
- White (Festiva Maxima, Duchesse de Nemours) - elegant; wedding favourite
- Coral and peach (Coral Charm) - modern, photographs beautifully
- Deep red (Karl Rosenfield, Red Charm) - dramatic; less common in florist stock
- Yellow (Bartzella - intersectional only) - rare; usually higher priced
- Bicolour (Shirley Temple, Bowl of Beauty) - subtle variation; popular for modern bouquets
True orange, purple, or blue peonies do not exist naturally. Florists may dye stems for specific palettes, but ask if natural colour matters.
When Peonies Are in Season
Peonies are the most-anticipated short-window flower in the Canadian market. Peak season in Ontario is late May through June - about 4 weeks total. Specific local varieties bloom for 7-14 days, with the overall peony window covered by overlapping varieties.
Outside the peak window, peonies are imported (mostly from Holland and Chile during their respective summers). Imported peonies are available year-round but cost significantly more and travel less well - they often arrive with a shorter vase life than peak-season local stock.
For weddings specifically in early June, peonies are the wedding flower in Canada. Book the florist 4-6 months ahead if peonies are central to the palette.
