8 Best Peonies To Grow In The South

You've probably heard it's too hot in the South to grow peonies. You've heard wrong. These prestigious perennials can thrive here as long as you know how to care for them properly. People love peonies because they bear huge, glorious spring and early summer flowers in various colors and forms. They make excellent cut flowers, and many are fragrant. These plants may live for generations, and deer won't eat them.

In the South, peonies need at least six hours of full sun daily with light shade in the hot afternoon. These flowers thrive in moist, fertile, well-drained soil—don't plant in clay or sand. Peonies also require space because these plants can grow three feet wide or more, and they don't like competing with roots from nearby trees and shrubs. Depending on your climate, heat-tolerant and cold-hardy selections are available to match your regional weather. Herbaceous peonies have a southern limit of USDA Zone 8. This familiar variety has foliage that dies to the ground in winter. 

Tree peonies have woody trunks that don't die down. They bear flowers the size of dinner plates and grow as far south as northern Florida. Intersectional peonies are hybrids of herbaceous and tree types. They take the heat similarly to tree peonies and flaunt huge flowers over a long season, but their foliage dies down in winter. Wait until fall to cut back the foliage of peonies if you want to see flowers next year. Bag the cut foliage, and throw it out with the trash to remove any disease spores. Read on for eight of our favorite colorful peonies to brighten to grow in your garden.

"Festiva Maxima"

A Southern favorite, this herbaceous peony has red-flecked white blossoms that grow up to three feet tall. Blooming in June, this deer-resistant and fragrant peony is a durable variety. This plant is beautiful even after flowering is finished for the season, as it features glossy, deep green foliage. 

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Festiva Maxima'
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Loamy, Well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Coral Charm"

This peony is an early-blooming selection producing notably large flowers. This selection is a stand-out with large, semi-double, incurved petals in a unique coral-peach color that fades to pale ivory. Select this peony during full bud for an excellent cut flower lasting over a week.

• Botanical Name: Paeonia 'Coral Charm'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Clay, Loamy, Sandy
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Kansas"

A long-blooming, reliable selection that thrives in full sun. This peony blooms heavily in late spring or early summer, making it an early midseason variety that flowers for about seven to 10 days. This variety is attractive to butterflies but deer and rabbit resistant.

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Kansas' 
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Rich, Fertile, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Sarah Bernhardt"

This elegant peony, named for a legendary stage actress, features perfumed pink blossoms, silvery edges, and layers of ruffled petals. It is a reliable and vigorous blooming flower that retains attractive foliage until the first frost. This peony is ideal for bordering a walk or driveway.

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Rich, Fertile, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Bartzella"

Choose this variety for a heat-tolerant peony with a long season of vibrant flowers. This peony blooms on top of strong stems that do not require staking. In addition to its semi-to-fully-double flowers, this peony features an inviting lemon scent. 

• Botanical Name: Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid) x 'Bartzella'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Rich, Fertile, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Rimpo"

This flower is a tree peony with red or purple-black petals encircling showy gold stamens. The large, double petals bloom from late spring to early summer and reach a height and width of seven feet. These flowers need protection from the wind. 

• Botanical Name: Paeonia suffruticosa 'Rimpo Peony'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Sandy, Loamy, Clay
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral to Alkaline (5.5 to 7.5)

"Elsa Sass"

A late-blooming variety, this peony is intensely fragrant with large, velvety white petals. This variety is adaptable to many growing situations as its compact size makes it useful as a specimen plant or along borders. This flower pairs well with roses and other perennials. 

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Elsa Sass'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Rich, Fertile, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)

"Nippon Beauty"

This prolific bloomer produces an abundance of deep red blooms. Enjoy this plant's foliage until the first frost as it retains a dark green, glossy appearance. Grow this peony in an area protected from harsh winds and heavy rains. 

• Botanical Name: Paeonia lactiflora 'Nippon Beauty'
• Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
• Soil Type: Well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5 to 7.0)