1 / 5

Key characteristics

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

Perennials

Paeonia lactiflora 'Red Charm'

Red Charm Peony

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.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid- to late spring (around May)

Find this plant

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.