Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Paeonia lactiflora 'Red Charm'
Red Charm Peony
- Height
- 24–36 inches tall
- Width
- 24–36 inches wide
- Flower color
- Full double, rich bright red blooms with a saucer of larger petals; fragrant
- Foliage color
- Medium to deep glossy green
- Bloom time
- Mid- to late spring (around May)
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Medium, remove spent flowers, cut back foliage after frost, may require staking under heavy blooms, compost or fertilizer in early spring
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 3–8
- Wildlife
- Attracts butterflies and other pollinators; deer- and rabbit-resistant
About this plant
Paeonia lactiflora 'Red Charm' opens in mid‑spring to early summer, showcasing full, double bomb-shaped blossoms of deep crimson that emit a sweet-spicy aroma. Blooming heavily for about a week to ten days, the early midseason flowers emerge on sturdy stems that frequently hold well even after rain. These richly petaled blooms are excellent in fresh-cut arrangements, often maintaining their presence in vases.
Registered by Lyman Glasscock in 1944 and honored with the American Peony Society's Gold Medal in 1956, 'Red Charm' is recognized for its dependable flowering and long vase life. It forms vigorous, compact clumps that are resilient to heat and attractive to pollinators while remaining resistant to deer and rabbits.
Works well in
Borders · Cottage Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Hostas · Ferns · Astilbes · Foxgloves · Bergenias · Sedums
Design tip
The early flowers arrive when the garden is still waking up, so give it a spot you pass often in spring. 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 Adelman Peony Gardens and Brooks Gardens Peonies.
