1 / 5Key characteristics
- Height
- 24–36 inches tall
- Width
- 24–30 inches wide
- Flower color
- Semi-double coral‑pink blooms that fade through salmon and cream to pale yellow‑white
- Foliage color
- Glossy medium green divided foliage
- Bloom time
- Early to late spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low, remove spent blooms; cut foliage to ground after first frost; sturdy stems rarely need staking
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 3–8
- Wildlife
- Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and general pollinators; deer- and rabbit-resistant; makes excellent cut flowers
Perennials
Paeonia lactiflora 'Coral Sunset'
Coral Sunset Peony
Paeonia lactiflora 'Coral Sunset' opens with bowl-shaped, semi-double blossoms in a glowing coral‑pink that gradually softens to peach‑ivory with age. It blooms in late spring to early summer, often producing its earliest blooms among herbaceous peonies. The lightly fragrant flowers are supported by sturdy upright stems that stand firm without staking, and their lush, ruffled petals combine to create a luminous, sunset-like aura in garden beds and vase arrangements.
Works well in
- Borders
- Cottage Gardens
- Pollinator Gardens
- Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Catmint · Heucheras · Lady's mantle · Hellebores · Hardy geraniums · Hostas
Design tip
The early flowers arrive when the garden is still waking up, so give it a spot you pass often in spring. Because it is easy about light, use it to carry a planting from a sunny end of the bed into the shadier side.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Peonies at Glencoe Farms.
More perennials

Papaver mudicaule 'Champagne Bubbles'
Champagne Bubbles Iceland Poppy
Blooms silky flowers in shades of white yellow orange pink and apricot
Full sun

Paeonia 'Pastelegance'
Pastelegance Peony
Blooms creamy pastel pink, salmon, peach, or champagne tones with visible yellow stamens
Full sun (at least 6 hours daily)

Paeonia lactiflora 'Lorelei'
Lorelei Peony
Blooms coral‑pink, transitioning to deep pink, salmon, peach, and cream
full sun to partial shade

Paeonia x lactiflora 'Abalone Pearl'
Abalone Pearl Peony
Blooms warm coral-pink, fade to cream as they age
Full sun to partial shade