You’ll catch your breath the first May morning this Japanese large-flower tree peony (*Paeonia suffruticosa*) unfurls blooms nearly the size of a dinner plate — cool-toned pink and white flowers stretching 7–8 inches across, carrying a light, sweet fragrance that drifts through morning air.
Unlike common herbaceous peonies, this woody-stemmed shrub never dies back to the ground. It arrives as a 2–3 year old bare-root plant, already bloomed, and will slowly grow into a 6–8 foot tall, 5-foot-wide living sculpture that can outlive everyone in your household by decades. Zones 4–9, tolerating temperatures from -45°F to 113°F.
Give it dappled afternoon shade — full sun scorches these leaves. Water deeply but infrequently, only when soil is dry several inches down; soggy roots are the primary cause of failure. Feed with composted manure in spring and fall, and plant the graft union at least 4 inches below soil level.
A long-lived, rare alternative to soft-stemmed peonies, and one of the most rewarding shrubs you can establish in a Pacific Northwest garden.
🍂 Shipping & planting window
Peonies ship in fall (September–November) when fully dormant and bare root. This is the only window we ship.
Fall planting gives roots a full season to establish in warm soil before winter. Cold stratification triggers strong, healthy spring growth and reliable bloom production. Spring-shipped peonies experience root damage during active growth, transplant shock during their bloom cycle, and often lose an entire growing season.
📍 Local pickup available year-round in Bellevue, WA.
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