Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Paeonia mairei
Maire's Peony
- Height
- 24–40 inches tall
- Width
- 24–36 inches wide
- Flower color
- Single deep rose-pink blooms with golden-yellow stamens
- Foliage color
- Young leaves emerge bronze-red, maturing to glossy medium to dark green divided foliage
- Bloom time
- Early to mid-spring
- Light
- Prefers full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low, remove faded blooms; cut back foliage in late summer; division rarely needed
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4–8
- Wildlife
- Fragrant flowers draw bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; deer-resistant
About this plant
Paeonia mairei is a deciduous, herbaceous species native to the mountainous woodlands of central and southwestern China. It blooms in mid-spring, producing single, saucer-shaped flowers that are rose‑pink to fuchsia in tone and have a sweet, spicy fragrance. Following bloom, the flowers give way to glossy, star-shaped seed pods that mature into shiny dark seeds later in the season.
The plant features deeply-incised leaves with a glossy sheen, and thrives in shaded, woodland settings. It has earned a reputation for being reliably hardy across temperate climates and demonstrates sturdy performance even under partial shade. The lovely foliage and ornamental seed pods, combined with its fragrant mid-season flowers, make Paeonia mairei a treasured addition to woodland gardens and botanical collections alike.
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
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 the Rhododendron Species Garden.
