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Key characteristics

Family: Paeoniaceae
Height: 4 to 6 feet
Width: 3 to 4 feet
Flower color: Rich purple
Foliage color: Deep green
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; remove spent blooms, prune in late season
Wildlife: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators

Shrubs

Paeonia x suffruticosa ‘Zi Er Qiao’

Purple Butterfly Tree Peony

Paeonia x suffruticosa 'Zi Er Qiao', also known as the Purple Butterfly Tree Peony, is a deciduous shrub admired for its magnificent purple blooms and elegant foliage. The large, semi-double to double flowers, reaching up to 8 to 10 inches in diameter, have a rich, deep purple color and a delicate, sweet fragrance. Flowering in mid to late spring, the blooms last for several weeks.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Borders
Cut Flower Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Yucca · New Zealand flax · Ice plant · Red hot poker · Crocosmias · Smoke bush

Design tip

Allow ‘Zi Er Qiao’ enough open space for its large framework to develop into a substantial garden presence. Its large flowers and dense foliage give it considerable visual weight, so positioning it where the entire shrub can be viewed will make the most of its dramatic spring display.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)