The peony is known for its voluminous blooms and impressive spectrum of colors. The available hues are governed by specific genetic and chemical limitations within the plant. Peony color diversity stems from various pigments, primarily anthocyanins and carotenoids, which create the rich array of shades available to gardeners and florists.
The Core Color Palette
Pink is perhaps the most iconic peony color, ranging from the palest blush to saturated, deep rose and fuchsia shades. These variations are determined by the concentration and chemical environment of anthocyanins within the petal cells. Red peonies encompass a range from bright scarlets and crimsons to deep, almost velvety maroon hues. The dominant pigment in many red cultivars is peonidin, an anthocyanidin that creates these intense shades. These traditional herbaceous peonies, like Paeonia lactiflora, form the backbone of the peony color range and are generally the most widely available.
White peonies are not always a stark, pure white; many varieties present as creamy ivory or a gentle, pale yellow when they first open. Some white cultivars, such as ‘Festiva Maxima’, often display a characteristic flecking of crimson on the petal edges. The color of certain white and blush peonies can also change subtly as the flower matures, sometimes fading to a lighter, more uniform cream color after prolonged sun exposure.
Unique and Specialized Shades
Specialized breeding efforts, particularly involving Tree Peonies and hybrid Intersectional (Itoh) varieties, have introduced unique shades beyond the core colors. The introduction of yellow was a significant breakthrough, achieved by crossing herbaceous peonies with the yellow Tree Peony species, Paeonia lutea. These resulting Itoh peonies, such as ‘Bartzella’ or ‘Garden Treasure’, exhibit clear, buttery yellow to deep gold tones that were historically absent from common herbaceous varieties.
Coral is a distinct and popular shade, characterized by salmon, apricot, and vibrant orange-pink tones that often change color as the flower ages. Cultivars like ‘Coral Sunset’ open as a deep coral-pink and gradually soften to a lighter salmon, then peach, and eventually a creamy white over several days. This transition occurs as the red anthocyanin pigments degrade, leaving the underlying yellow or cream pigments more visible.
Deep maroon and nearly black varieties represent the darkest end of the peony spectrum, often appearing in single or Japanese-style blooms. These hues are not truly black but are extremely concentrated forms of deep crimson and burgundy, derived from high levels of peonidin pigment. These specialized color groups often command a higher price due to the complex hybridization required to achieve them.
Colors That Do Not Exist
While peonies offer a broad palette, the genus has specific genetic limitations that prevent the natural occurrence of certain colors. True blue, violet, or purple peonies do not exist because the plant lacks the necessary genetic pathway to produce the anthocyanin pigment delphinidin. Delphinidin is the pigment responsible for creating genuine blue and violet hues in many other flowers, such as delphiniums. Any peony marketed as “purple” is typically a deep magenta, red-violet, or concentrated maroon, leaning heavily toward the red end of the spectrum. Similarly, varieties described as “black” are simply the deepest shades of burgundy or dark red. The absence of the delphinidin gene means that, without genetic modification, the peony color wheel is naturally capped at the deep reds and maroons.