Pink peonies are available in hundreds of different shades, shapes, and sizes. Some of these plants are compact and have strong stems, making them well-suited to the garden. Other pink peony varieties have voluminous flowers that are best trimmed off the plant before they bloom and used as show-stopping cut flowers in fresh floral bouquets.
1. Sarah Bernhardt peony
Sarah Bernhardt peony is THE top pink peony in gardens and flower arrangements. Sarah Bernhardt peonies are a classic soft pink color with a classic fluffy, full double peony shape. Blooms often reach 7″-8″ wide on this type of pink peony and have a beautiful floral scent. The plant’s foliage is a medium green color.
The Sarah Bernhardt peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’) blooms late in the peony season, typically flowering in early summer (typically in June). The plants grow slowly, eventually reaching 36″ tall and 32″-36″ wide when mature.
This heirloom pink peony cultivar was bred by Victor Lemoine of Nancy, France, and introduced in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Since then, they’ve become ubiquitous in everyday life, featured in everything from wedding bouquets to Instagram photos and flower gardens alike.
2. Sorbet peony
Sorbet peony is another favorite type of pink peony for gardens and as a cut flower. Sorbet peonies are bombe-type double flowers with alternating layers of pink and white-blush petals. Flowers are fragrant and reach 6″-7″ wide when fully blooming. The leaves are a glossy dark green color.
The Sorbet peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sorbet’) blooms in the middle of peony season, typically flowering in mid-late spring. The plants grow at a medium growth rate, maturing to a short final height of about 26″ tall and a width in the range of 30″-36″ wide. The Sorbet peony was discovered growing in an orchard in South Korea by perennial plant breeder Luc Klinkhamer (Netherlands) in 1987.
3. Bowl of Beauty peony
Bowl of Beauty peony is a classic European pink peony with a delicate golden center. The flowers on this type are massive, reaching 10″-12″ across on a mature plant in full bloom. The leaves are a medium green shade with a glossy finish.
The Bowl of Beauty peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’) blooms early in the peony season, blooming in the middle of spring. The plants grow slowly, reaching 34″-36″ tall with a full-grown width of 32″-36″ wide. The Bowl of Beauty peony was bred by Aart Hoogendoorn of Boskoop, Netherlands, and was introduced in 1949.
4. Shirley Temple peony
Shirley Temple peony is a popular soft pink double peony cultivar. The pink color is brightest when the flowers first bloom, maturing to a blush white on fully-opened flowers. Shirley Temple flowers can reach 8″ wide in full bloom and are highly fragrant. The foliage is a dark green color.
The Shirley Temple peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Shirley Temple’) blooms early in peony season, typically flowering in early-mid spring (before many other double pink peonies). Plants grow to 30″-32″ tall and 30″-36″ wide when fully grown. The Shirley Temple peony was potentially bred in Holland before 1952, although some peony lovers believe this peony was bred by Louis Smirnow of Brookville, New York, before 1948.
5. Coral Sunset peony
Coral Sunset peony is a coral-pink semi-double variety of peonies. These cup-shaped flowers bloom early in peony season, opening with a lovely fragrance. The Coral Sunset peony was named the 2003 Gold Medal Peony of the Year by the American Peony Society and went on to receive their Award of Landscape Merit in 2009.
For the most vibrant color, plant these peonies in a full-sun location where the leaves receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily throughout the growing season. They can also be fed with fertilizer in the early spring after the shoots appear for a nutrient boost (read more about fertilizing peonies).
6. Raspberry Sundae peony
Raspberry Sundae peony is a stunning bicolor pink and yellow bombe-type peony cultivar. These puffy flowers have a sweet floral fragrance. Flowers of the Raspberry Sundae Peony truly do resemble the dessert they are named after, with creamy vanilla-yellow petals matched up with a berry-pink topping.
7. Pink Hawaiian Coral peony
Pink Hawaiian Coral peony is a semi-double type of peony with coral-pink petals and a yellow center. Due to their understated elegance, this variety is becoming more popular each season for both home gardeners and farmer florists. Plants tend to bloom in late spring or early summer.
8. Felix Crousse peony
Felix Crousse peony is an heirloom peony with large double crimson red-pink blooms. This voluptuous variety blooms in mid-to-late peony season. The large fuchsia flowers often require support with a peony ring or stake.
9. Edulis Superba peony
Edulis Superba peony is an early-blooming double pink peony variety. Perfect for gardeners who just can’t wait for puffball pink peonies, this variety makes a wonderful cut flower. Flowers left on the plant may need support.
10. Monsieur Jules Elie peony
Monsieur Jules Elie peony is an heirloom pink peony with fluffy double petals. The petals are typically a light-rose pink shade, fading in the sun as the flowers age. Heavy flowers often require staking (or cutting them while in the bud for bouquets).
11. Celebrity peony
Celebrity peony is a newer pink peony variety with bicolor pink petals. Streaks of a raspberry-Fuschia pink cover the otherwise pale pink inner petals. The plants have lovely dark green glossy leaves that look appealing in summer and fall.
12. Eden’s Perfume peony
Eden’s Perfume peony is a puffy double light pink peony. This variety is especially well known for its almost rose-like floral fragrance. These giant flowers can bloom to be wider than 6″ in diameter, making them quite a statement in a bouquet.
13. Hanakisoi tree peony
Hanakisoi tree peony is an heirloom Japanese tree peony with large crepe-like medium pink flowers. These flowers are highly ornamental and have a gorgeous golden-yellow center. Plants can grow up to 5′ high in good conditions!
14. Gay Paree peony
Gay Paree peony is a pink and cream anemone-type peony similar to Bowl of Beauty. This variety has a cream-colored fluffy center surrounded by dark pink-Fuschia outer petals. The flowers are quite fragrant, and the stems are sturdy (rarely requiring staking).
15. Myrtle Gentry peony
Myrtle Gentry peony is a soft pink heirloom double peony variety. These breathtaking flowers can grow up to 10″ across and have a lovely floral scent. These pale pink flowers may well be mistaken for giant roses in the garden!
16. Nick Shaylor peony
Nick Shaylor peony is a blush pink peony variety with double-petal blossoms. The center petals occasionally have darker pink markings, similar to the Festiva Maxima peony. The flowers resemble garden roses but have a little scent.
17. Lady Alexandra Duff peony
Lady Alexandra Duff peony is a classic pink heirloom peony. These fluffy double flowers have a light floral fragrance and delicately ruffled petals. The stems of these peonies are strong and rarely need staking.
18. Mother’s Choice peony
Mother’s Choice peony is a very light pink blush double peony with rose-like blossoms. This variety is quite fragrant and excellent for both garden landscaping and as cut flowers. This variety has strong stems and does not need support in most conditions.
19. Dinner Plate peony
Dinner Plate peony is a classic pink peony variety with large 7″-8″ wide flowers. This variety also has very sturdy stems and a wonderful fragrance.
20. Pecher peony
Pecher peony is a light pink heirloom peony variety. The plate-like outer petals sometimes feature crimson edges. The plants are compact and perfect for border gardens. This variety is sometimes also called the Noemie Demay peony.
21. White Cap peony
White Cap peony is a stunning Japanese peony with vibrant magenta-pink outer petals and creamy white inner petals. These herbaceous peonies are a statement variety for the flower garden. The flowers have an excellent floral fragrance, and the stems rarely require staking.
22. Avalanche peony
Avalanche peony is an heirloom white peony with hints of blush pink and cream. With a strong floral scent, these double flowers can reach 6″ wide in full bloom. The petals sometimes feature thin crimson markings.
23. Fairy’s Petticoat peony
Fairy’s Petticoat peony is a soft pink peony that matures to a blush white hue. The petals are slightly ruffled and truly do have a petticoat-like appearance. The blossoms are richly scented and well suited to both landscaping and cut flower gardens. The stems are quite strong and rarely require staking.
24. Moon River peony
Moon River peony is a creamy-blush double pink peony variety. These giant flowers can reach 8″ wide in full bloom. The center of the flower tends to be a cream-white color, while the outer petals have a pink blush. Foliage is a dark green color.
25. Alertie peony
Alertie peony is an early-flowering soft pink peony. This variety has voluptuous 6″-wide blooms with a sweet fragrance. The Alertie Peony is perfect for both landscape gardeners and cut flower gardens.
26. Vivid Rose peony
Vivid Rose peony is a medium-pink peony with a truly rose-like scent. The double flowers have many layers of fluffy petals. This variety usually requires staking due to the heavy blooms.
27. Solange peony
Solange peony is a double pink-white peony with rose-like flowers. The flowers are quite large, reaching 7″ wide in full bloom. The foliage is dark green. This late-flowering type blooms in early summer, with blooms that open slowly and gracefully.
28. Joker peony
Joker peony is a specialty double white-pink peony variety. These stunners have a surprisingly bright pink shade when they first open, with the white tones developing as the petals unfurl. The foliage has an understated green-grey color.
29. Doreen peony
Doreen peony is an elegant Japanese-type pink peony variety with dark burgundy-pink outer petals and a pink and golden yellow center. These fragrant peonies are quite easy to grow as they are naturally disease-resistant and grow in a compact shape.
30. Hillary Itoh peony
Hillary Itoh peony is an intersectional variety with rose-pink petals and yellow stamens. The crepe-like flowers age to cream color on the plant. These plants put on quite a few flowers that tend to be self-supporting with strong stems.
31. First Arrival Itoh peony
First Arrival peony is a lavender-pink semi-double peony. The soft purple flowers have a wonderful floral scent and are highly attractive to beneficial pollinators. Each flower grows 6″-8″ across. Foliage is dark green and grows in a dense form.
32. Mutabilis Plena peony
Mutabilis Plena peony is an early-blooming heirloom pink peony with double-petal flowers. The outer petals are often streaked with bright pink. These bright flowers are quite voluminous and often require staking in the garden.
33. Dr. Alexander Fleming peony
Dr. Alexander Fleming peony is an award-winning popular pink peony variety. This type has gorgeous rose-pink petals and a beautiful floral fragrance. These peony plants are quite floriferous, with each stem producing many side buds. Pinch the side buds off before they grow too big for extra-large center blooms.
34. Salmon Dream peony
Salmon Dream peony is a modern semi-double pink peony. As the name suggests, the petals are a salmon pink shade that forms a cup shape around the golden stamens in the center. These plants are compact and rarely require staking.
35. Petite Elegance peony
Petite Elegance peony is a compact pink peony plant with airy soft pink petals. The petals are a creamy color at the center with medium pink freckled patterning on the main portion of the petals. These plants are quite low maintenance, growing just over 2 feet tall and requiring no staking.
36. Lady Liberty peony
Lady Liberty peony is a bombe-type peony with hot pink outer guard petals and a creamy apricot center. The flowers have a similar appearance to the popular Bowl of Beauty peony. The flowers are 9″ wide in full bloom but rarely require staking, making this larger variety quite low-maintenance.
37. The Fawn peony
The Fawn peony is a fluffy large pink peony variety. These double flowers have many layers of medium-pink petals. Many petals have light freckling, rather like the dots on a fawn. These voluminous flowers are usually about 6″ wide but don’t require staking despite their large size.
38. Lorelei peony
Lorelei peony is a specialty garden peony with medium-pink flowers that mature to a blush apricot shade. These plants are sought after not only for their gorgeous bombe-type flowers but also for their beautiful sweet and spicy floral scent and particularly strong stems.
39. Catharina Fontijn peony
Catharina Fontijn peony is a bicolor white and pink double peony. The center petals tend to be pure white while the outer petals are a soft pink shade. The flowers are particularly good for bouquets due to their long-lasting nature and strong floral fragrance.
40. Madame Calot peony
Madame Calot peony is a French heirloom peony with bicolor cream and pink double flowers. Center petals sometimes have darker pink streaking. This variety has strong stems and an intense floral scent.
41. Scrumdiddlyumptious Itoh peony
Scrumdiddlyumptious Itoh peony is a specialty intersectional variety with yellow-pink petals. Each petal tends to have a golden yellow center with an ombre effect to pink towards the edges. The petals are slightly frilly, giving this variety an old-rose appearance.
42. Blush Queen peony
Blush Queen peony is a cream-colored peony variety with a pink center. This variety is known for its large flowers, which can reach 8″-10″ across mature plants. The foliage is medium green. Plants bloom in the middle of the peony season, generally flowering in late spring or early summer (depending on the local climate).
43. Chiffon Parfait peony
Chiffon Parfait peony is an elegant late-blooming white and pink peony. The enormous ball-shaped flowers are among the last to bloom in the peony garden, reaching 8″ across and incredibly voluminous. Plants are compact and have strong stems for these heavy blooms.
44. Belgravia peony
Belgravia peony is a well-known dark pink peony variety. The double flowers are extremely large, reaching 10″ across healthy, mature plants. The flowers tend to be a burgundy shade at first, aging to their characteristic vibrant pink hue. This variety is good for border gardens as the plants reach about 3′ tall while blooming.
45. Florence Nicholls peony
Florence Nicholls peony is a creamy pink peony with a lovely fragrance. The large double flowers resemble giant old-fashioned roses, reaching 7″ across. Blooms tend to be a salmon-pink color as they first open, typically maturing to a blush white.
46. Pink Double Dandy Itoh peony
Pink Double Dandy Itoh peony is a unique variety with double violet-pink petals. The petals tend to be a rich lavender pink at the base and a soft pink towards the tips. These plants are quite compact, barely reaching 2′ tall, making them a great choice for landscaping applications.
47. Nellie Saylor peony
Nellie Saylor peony is a lush Japanese-type peony with vibrant dark pink petals. Outer petals are solid dark pink (nearly purple) while inner petals tend to be cream-white streaked with darker pink. Flowers can reach 10″ across in full bloom.
48. Pink Choice peony
Pink Choice peony is a new pink peony with stunning ombre pink petals. The semi-double 6″-wide blooms have dark pink outer petals and soft blush inner petals around golden staminodes. The flowers have a subtle floral scent and are perfect for bouquets. The plants have sturdy stems and are great for flower borders.
49. Butter Bowl peony
Butter Bowl peony is a bicolor pink and yellow Japanese-type peony. The showy flowers have pink outer guard petals and yellow ruffled staminodes in the center. Blooms are highly scented and about 6″ wide each, attracting beneficial pollinators.
50. Honey Gold peony
Honey Gold peony is a soft pink, yellow, and white fluffy peony that makes excellent cut flowers. Fully double fragrant bombe-type blooms are 6″ wide and ball-shaped. The outer guard petals are creamy white, while the prominent center has yellow-gold staminodes and the very middle blooms with pink petaloid. The soft yellow and pink shades are more pronounced on established plants and mature blooms.
