Paeonia lactiflora 'Buckeye Belle'

Buckeye Belle Peony

Height: 24–36 inches tall
Width: 24–36 inches wide
Flower color: Rich, dark maroon-chocolate red
Foliage color: Glossy, deep green divided foliage
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low, remove spent blooms, cut foliage to ground after frost; sturdy, compact habit usually eliminates the need for staking
Growing zone: USDA zones 3–8
Wildlife: Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; deer- and rabbit-resistant; excellent for cutting

About this plant

Paeonia lactiflora 'Buckeye Belle' showcases semi-double blooms in a dark, nearly chocolate-red that deepen the moment they open. It typically flowers in late spring into early summer, The flowers are velvety-textured with golden stamens and a slightly ruffled center of inner petals, and their gentle fragrance enhances their appeal. The plant produces strong, erect stems that support the ample blossoms.

'Buckeye Belle' has earned top honors including the American Peony Society's Gold Medal in 2010 and the Award of Landscape Merit, and was named Peony of the Year in 2011. The cultivar forms a compact, bushy mound of deep green leaves that persist through summer. Additionally, it's known to be deer and rabbit resistant, making it a resilient and ornamental choice in garden borders or as a specimen plant.

Works well in

Borders · Cottage Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Daylilies · Japanese anemones · Bleeding hearts · Catmint · Heucheras · Lady's mantle

Design tip

Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. It takes sun or light shade, which makes it useful along the changing light of a bed edge or a partly shaded border.

Where to see it

This plant can be seen at Peonies at Glencoe Farms.