Unlike other Paeonia the Tree Peony is a deciduous shrub or small tree rather than a herbaceous perennial.
It is an upright and open branched, slow growing shrub with attractive dark green leaves that are bluey/grey underneath.
It has a graceful, branching structure and goes best in woodland garden settings or up against large walls where they will get good amounts of shade.
The silky, fragrant blooms are quite large, up to 20cms across and can be in a variety of colours from white to yellow to pink, mauve and red.
They appear from spring through to summer and make a big splash of colour due to their large bloom size.
They attract butterflies to your garden and are an important element to any cottage garden.