Pink Hawaiian Coral peony

The Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony is one of the most highly-sought after types of peonies.

Pink Hawaiian Coral peony is a vibrant herbaceous peony with coral-pink petals and a yellow center. The blossoms of Pink Hawaiian Coral have a rounded cup-like shape with delicate cream-yellow stamens in the middle. It starts with light pink petals that deepen to a rich, bright pink as the flower blooms This hybrid cultivar grows about 36″ tall, with ornamental deep green foliage on strong stems. The Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony was bred in the USA by American Peony Breeder Roy Klehm.

Read on to learn more about the Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony and how to care for it in your flower garden.

Pink Hawaiian Coral peony basics

The Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony is one of the most stunning types of peonies to grow. The Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony is a hybrid developed from two different peonies: Paeonia ‘Charlie’s White’ x Peony peregrina ‘Otto Froebel’. This peony cultivar won the American Peony Society’s Gold Metal in 2000.

Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony was developed and first registered in 1981 by Roy Klehm of Song Sparrow Nursery (Chicago & Wisconsin, USA). The American Peony Society honored Roy Klehm in 1989 with the A.P. Saunders Memorial Medal. The Klehm family has produced many notable peony varieties throughout previous decades.

“With even earlier beginnings is the Klehm dynasty, whose nursery business was started in Chicago in 1852 by German immigrant John Klehm and continues today under the name of Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery. Present owner Roy Klehm, whose son Kit now works with him, has continued the family tradition of breeding peonies.”

Peonies, by Pamela McGeorge

Pink Hawaiian Coral Peonies grow about 3 feet tall. These plants have strong stems and glossy green foliage with pointed oval leaves.

What type of peony is the Pink Hawaiian Coral peony classified as?

Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony plants (Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’) are herbaceous peony plants with Semi-Double type peony flowers that bloom early in peony season (typically in early to mid spring). The flowers start with almost rose-color peony petals, aging to a lighter cream coral color.

Peonies come in six main types of flower forms: Single, Anemone, Japanese, Semi-Double, Bombe, and Full Double. Semi-Double peonies like Pink Hawaiian Coral are known for their increased petal bulk (compared to single blooms), and for the partial transformation of some stamens into inner petals, similar to full doubles.

There are three main types of peony plants: tree, herbaceous, and intersectional. Pink Hawaiian Coral peonies are herbaceous peonies, not intersectional or tree peonies. These plants sprout anew from their roots each spring, and will typically grow to be about 3 feet tall by mid spring. Then, they will bloom and go on to display beautiful foliage by early summer to the beginning of fall. The foliage remains attractive till they die back into their roots after the first hard frost comes.

Growing Pink Hawaiian Coral peonies in the garden

This peony can grow to be 36 inches in height as well as 36 inches in spread. It usually grows in a fairly large, dark green bush with rich, glossy leaves. When they first begin to bloom, flowers sport a brilliant, coral-pink color that is accented by yellow stamens (which are very noticeable in full bloom).

The Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony is known to bloom in late spring to early summer (from April to June and sometimes even July). This peony will only flower for seven to ten days, so it is advisable to plant other cultivars that have staggered bloom times. That way your garden will be in full splendor for the entire growing season.

Once the Pink Hawaiian Coral flower has matured, it will often fade to a pleasantly soft apricot pink. As long as they are taken care of, your Pink Hawaiian Coral peonies will provide color and fragrance to your garden!

Because its flowering period is often relatively short, it is a good idea for you to deadhead your peonies (which means to cut away the dead “heads,” or blossoms). Doing so will make way for new, healthier blossoms to grow, and it will help your peonies to last longer.

Confused about when to start snipping? It depends from peony to peony, however, here is a great guide on the timelines for cutting back and deadheading!

One of the nicest things about the Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony is its resilience. They appear light and delicate, but peonies are actually very sturdy and tough in most conditions. It can shrug off the cold with almost no problem and can even withstand periods of severe heat. As a matter of fact, some peonies have even been known to survive for 50-100 years! Additionally, they have a long vase life as long as you cut flowers in a full bud. They will usually last for at least a week, if not longer.

These peonies are extremely adaptable. They can be put in flowerbeds, used as borders (especially for walks and driveways), used as a specimen plant, and even put in cottage or city gardens. In actuality, you could even plant Pink Hawaiian Coral Peonies as an informal hedge. They are big enough to serve as one and pretty enough to be pleasing to the eye. If you are willing to take care of them, they will serve you well for years upon years!

Plant care for Pink Hawaiian Coral peony

Now that you know a little bit about Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony, you probably want to know how you can best care for them. Here are some helpful tips that will get you started:

Be sure to plant your Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony plant in a rich, fertile well-drained soil mix. There is nothing your peonies will hate more than soggy roots, so it may not be a bad idea to plant them on a hill or slope where well-drained soil will not be a problem. Acidic soil should also be avoided.

You would do well to pick a spot for your peonies that has plenty of sun exposure but doesn’t feature full sun. Full sun exposure shouldn’t be used as they can handle light afternoon shade, and in fact, it’s not bad for them to have some shade during the day. If you live in a particularly hot area (southern or southwestern) that has full sun exposure, you may want to choose a partially shady area so your peonies don’t wither up.

Water your Pink Hawaiian Coral Peonies regularly, but be careful not to overwater. You should be fine to water them at least once a week, maximum. Again, if you live in a hot area or if you are experiencing a heat spell, you might want to give your flowers a little more water to keep them from drying out.

Peonies can get pretty big. Because their blossoms are so large, peonies are often known to droop with the weight. As mentioned above, Pink Hawaiian Coral Peonies are hybrid plants and were developed to have stems thicker and stronger than other varieties. However, they might still get a little droopy. If you begin to notice this happening, you should take immediate action and put stakes or cages in your garden as soon as possible. If your Pink Hawaiian Coral Peony has bloomed just before a forecasted rainstorm, you may wish to cut flowers before bringing them in for a bouquet instead of letting the rain droop them over.

The size of these plants when mature means they need plenty of room to grow and thrive. When you plant them, be sure to give them at least 32 inches of space. As mentioned before, they can grow to 36 inches in both heights and spread. This will ensure that your plants have enough room to reach complete maturity without overtaking each other or other plants.

As for planting bare-root peonies, the process is straightforward, but must be handled with care. If you damage the peony’s roots, it will not grow properly. When you dig the holes, make sure they are deep enough and wide enough to cover the roots without bending them. You should plant them during the fall, at least six weeks before the ground starts to freeze. You can plant them in the mid spring, but if you do that, your plants may not blossom for up to two years. Planting peonies in the fall at least gives you the possibility of having flowering plants by the next early spring.