50 pink peonies

Pink peonies include some of the most useful garden and cut flower cultivars in the genus. The color range runs from pale blush to deep rose pink and coral pink, while the flower forms include singles, semi-doubles, Japanese types, anemone types, bombes, and full doubles. Some varieties are best known for fragrance or stem strength. Others are grown for unusually large flowers, very early bloom, or reliable performance in the cutting garden.

Bloom season also matters when choosing pink peonies. Early cultivars can open well before the big late doubles, and mixing early, midseason, and late varieties is the easiest way to extend the display. Pink peonies also span several plant groups, including herbaceous garden peonies, woody tree peonies, and intersectional Itoh peonies. For broader care and planting guidance, see how to grow peonies, this guide to types of peonies, and these tips on fertilizing peonies.

1. Sarah Bernhardt peony

Sarah Bernhardt peony is one of the best-known pink peonies ever introduced. It is a late-blooming double cultivar with very large dark rose-pink flowers edged slightly lighter, and mature blooms often open 7 to 8 inches wide. The flowers are agreeably fragrant and have the full, fluffy look many gardeners want in a classic pink peony.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ was introduced by Lemoine in France in 1906. It is floriferous and makes an excellent cut flower, but the stems generally need support in bloom because the heavy flowers tend to bend. That makes it more useful for bouquets than for a perfectly upright garden display.

2. Sorbet peony

Sorbet peony is a favorite for its layered pink and cream coloring. The flowers are bombe type, with alternating tiers of blush pink and pale cream petals that give the bloom a dessert-like look. Fully open flowers are usually about 6 to 7 inches across and have a soft fragrance.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sorbet’ is a midseason peony with glossy dark green foliage and a compact habit that usually fits well in mixed borders. It is especially useful when a planting needs contrast from the more common solid pink doubles.

3. Bowl of Beauty peony

Bowl of Beauty peony is one of the best anemone-form pink peonies. The large flowers have deep rose pink guard petals around a pale lemon-yellow center of petaloids, creating a dramatic two-tone effect that stands out immediately in the garden.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’ was introduced in the Netherlands in 1949 and is usually described as early flowering. Mature flowers can be huge, sometimes reaching close to 12 inches across, and the plant is known for strong stems and a height of about 3 feet. It is one of the easiest pink peonies to recognize at a glance.

4. Shirley Temple peony

Shirley Temple peony opens light rose pink and gradually matures to blush white. It is an early double cultivar with exceptionally large flowers and firm stems, which is one reason it has remained popular as a cut flower as well as a garden plant.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Shirley Temple’ was in commerce before 1952 and is often described as flowering about a week before ‘Festiva Maxima’. Gardeners who want a pink peony that starts early and finishes with an almost white bridal look usually find this one especially useful.

5. Coral Sunset peony

Coral Sunset peony is one of the strongest early peonies in the coral-pink range. The flowers are double and flat to cupped when opening, with a deep coral tone that softens as the bloom ages. The plant is vigorous, reliable, and known for excellent foliage and good stem strength.

This herbaceous hybrid was raised by Samuel Wissing and first bloomed around 1965. It received the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2003 and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009. It is one of the best choices for gardeners who want early color and better garden performance than many heavy late doubles.

6. Raspberry Sundae peony

Raspberry Sundae peony is a striking early double bomb with creamy petals topped by a raspberry-pink center. It was introduced by Carl G. Klehm in 1968 and is one of the better-known bicolor pink peonies for both show gardens and bouquets.

The dessert-like flower pattern is the main attraction, but the plant also fits well in a collection that mixes soft blush flowers with stronger pink tones. It is a good choice for gardeners who want a pink peony that looks different from the usual full rose-form doubles.

7. Pink Hawaiian Coral peony

Pink Hawaiian Coral peony is a semi-double herbaceous hybrid with coral-pink petals and a bright golden center. The blooms have a cupped shape with two to three rows of guard petals, and the plant is known for excellent stem strength, good foliage, and a fragrant flower.

Introduced by Roy Klehm in 1981, this cultivar received the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2000 and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009. It is one of the most dependable choices for gardeners who want pink tones on a plant that stays upright and flowers early.

8. Felix Crousse peony

Felix Crousse peony is one of the deeper pink peonies, with large double flowers that sit between rich rose, crimson, and fuchsia tones depending on light and age. It brings a stronger saturated color than most blush and shell-pink cultivars, which makes it useful for contrast in borders and bouquets.

This is an heirloom type that blooms in the mid to late part of peony season. The flowers are full and heavy enough that support is often helpful, especially in wet weather. Gardeners usually choose it when they want a darker, more dramatic pink rather than a pastel effect.

9. Edulis Superba peony

Edulis Superba peony is a very early heirloom pink double with a bright old-rose color and a notably strong fragrance. The flowers often develop a crown as they age, and the plant has long been valued as a dependable commercial cut flower because it blooms before many other full pink doubles.

Introduced in France in 1824, this is one of the oldest pink peonies still widely grown. It is extremely floriferous and has excellent foliage, though the stems can bend under the weight of bloom. For gardeners who want an early antique pink peony with strong scent, it remains hard to beat.

10. Monsieur Jules Elie peony

Monsieur Jules Elie peony is a famous French heirloom with very large light rose-pink double flowers. The broad guard petals and incurved silvery center petals give it a soft, luminous look that reads beautifully in bouquets.

Introduced by Crousse in 1888, it is an early flowering cultivar and one of the most popular peonies ever grown. The stems are lax and not especially good for formal garden presentation, but it is highly effective when cut. This is a strong choice for gardeners who prioritize flower size and classic old-rose style over stem strength.

11. Celebrity peony

Celebrity peony is a bicolor pink cultivar with pale inner petals marked by streaks of darker raspberry pink. The patterning gives the flowers more movement and contrast than a standard uniform pink double.

Its dark glossy foliage also helps the plant stay attractive after bloom. This variety is a good choice for gardeners who want a pink peony with a slightly more modern, patterned look.

12. Eden’s Perfume peony

Eden’s Perfume peony is a pale pink double grown mainly for fragrance. The flowers are large and full, with a soft rose-like scent that carries well indoors, making it one of the better pink peonies for bouquets and garden picking beds.

This variety suits gardeners who care as much about scent as flower form. In a mixed planting of pink peonies, it fills the role of a soft, romantic, highly fragrant cut flower.

13. Hanakisoi tree peony

Hanakisoi tree peony is a medium pink tree peony with broad, crepe-like petals and a golden center. The flowers are highly ornamental, but the bigger distinction is the plant itself. Tree peonies keep woody stems above ground and develop into permanent shrub-like specimens rather than dying back completely each winter like herbaceous peonies.

This makes Hanakisoi useful when the goal is a lasting focal plant with spring flowers rather than a seasonal clump in a perennial border. In good conditions, it can become a substantial landscape feature.

14. Gay Paree peony

Gay Paree peony is an anemone-form cultivar with deep cerise-pink guard petals surrounding a fluffy center that flushes toward white. It is a distinctly different flower from the usual double pink peony and has long been valued as a novelty variety with strong garden presence.

Introduced by Auten in 1933, this cultivar has a fine stem and a good plant habit. It later received the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2023 and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2014. It is one of the best choices for gardeners who want contrast in flower form as well as color.

15. Myrtle Gentry peony

Myrtle Gentry peony is a late heirloom double with large full rose-type flowers in a beautiful light pink shade. It is known for good foliage, fine plant habit, and freely borne blooms, though it can occasionally be somewhat unreliable in flowering.

Introduced in 1925, it remains one of the most admired late pink peonies for gardeners who want large fragrant flowers with an old-fashioned look. It is especially at home in cottage gardens and dedicated cutting beds.

16. Nick Shaylor peony

Nick Shaylor peony is a very late pink double with a clean bud, a large bloom, and stiff stems. The flowers resemble ‘Solange’ in coloring but usually show a little more pink, which gives them a fuller blush effect in the garden.

Introduced in 1931, it is a reliable bloomer and has been recognized with the American Peony Society Gold Medal. This is a useful cultivar for gardeners who want a pink peony that flowers near the end of the season and still opens well.

17. Lady Alexandra Duff peony

Lady Alexandra Duff peony is a graceful heirloom with pale blush-pink flowers that can appear nearly white in some seasons. It was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1902 and is known for strong stems, abundant foliage, and an elegant plant habit.

The blooms often come with side flowers, and established plants can produce excellent exhibition-quality terminal blooms if the laterals are removed. This is a refined choice for gardeners who want a softer pink with good structure and strong stems.

18. Mother’s Choice peony

Mother’s Choice peony is a very pale blush double that often reads almost white from a distance. The flowers are full, fragrant, and especially useful in both landscape planting and bouquets because the stems are usually strong enough to support the bloom well.

This variety works best in a soft palette of blush, cream, and white flowers. It is often chosen when gardeners want the form of a pink peony without a strong block of color.

19. Dinner Plate peony

Dinner Plate peony lives up to its name with some of the largest flowers in the pink peony group. Introduced by Carl G. Klehm in 1968, it is a midseason double rose-type cultivar in medium pink with hints of salmon and a robust, strong-growing habit.

This variety is widely grown for sheer flower size. Gardeners who want an oversized focal peony with sturdy growth and a bold flower usually put this one high on the list.

20. Pecher peony

Pecher peony is a light pink heirloom cultivar with broad outer petals that can sometimes show a crimson edge. The plant tends to stay compact, which makes it easier to use in border plantings than some of the larger antique doubles.

This variety is sometimes also sold as Noémie Demay. It is a practical choice when the goal is an heirloom pink peony with a more restrained plant size.

21. White Cap peony

White Cap peony has vibrant magenta-pink outer petals and a creamy white center, so the overall effect is much pinker than the name suggests. The flowers are fragrant, and the stems are usually strong enough that staking is rarely needed.

It is a good peony for gardeners who want clear color contrast and a more open Japanese-style bloom rather than a dense double. In mixed plantings, it helps break up a run of fluffy pink flowers with a different texture.

22. Avalanche peony

Avalanche peony is mainly a white peony, but many blooms open with blush pink and cream tones and may show fine crimson markings. The flowers are double and strongly fragrant, which is why this cultivar often ends up included in soft pink peony collections.

It is most useful for gardeners building a pale, romantic color scheme rather than a collection of saturated pink flowers. In that setting, it helps bridge the gap between pink and white cultivars.

23. Fairy’s Petticoat peony

Fairy’s Petticoat peony is a soft pink cultivar that matures toward blush white. The slightly ruffled petals and richly scented blossoms give it a light, airy look that fits well in cottage-style planting and cutting gardens.

This is a good choice when the goal is softness rather than drama. Its strong stems also make it more practical in the garden than many very full pastel doubles.

24. Moon River peony

Moon River peony is a creamy blush double with very large flowers, often around 8 inches across. The center tends to be cream-white while the outer petals carry a soft pink wash, giving the bloom a layered tonal effect rather than one flat color.

This variety is useful when a garden needs a large flower that still reads refined and restrained. It blends especially well with pale pink, blush, and cream peonies.

25. Alertie peony

Alertie peony is an early soft pink double with fragrant flowers about 6 inches across. It is one of the better options for gardeners who want an early start to pink peony season without moving into coral shades.

The flowers work well both in borders and in vases. It pairs especially well with later cultivars such as Sarah Bernhardt peony when the goal is a longer bloom sequence.

26. Vivid Rose peony

Vivid Rose peony is a bright rose-pink full double introduced by Carl G. Klehm in 1952. It is a late midseason bloomer with strong stems and flowers that hold well in storage, which adds to its value as both a garden and cut-flower peony.

The color stands out more strongly than many shell-pink cultivars. Gardeners who want a clearer, brighter pink often find this variety more useful than softer blush-toned doubles.

27. Solange peony

Solange peony is a late French heirloom with large double flowers in cream-white washed with buff and pale salmon-pink. The bloom opens slowly and often takes several days to reach full development, which is part of its appeal.

Introduced by Lemoine in 1907, it is admired mainly for its unusual tint rather than for fragrance or stem quality. This is one of the better cultivars for gardeners who want a very soft pink-white peony with a distinctive antique tone near the end of the season.

28. Joker peony

Joker peony is a modern herbaceous hybrid that opens dark pink and matures to a white center with a pink picotee edge. That color shift is the main attraction and gives the flowers a much livelier look than a standard solid pink peony.

Registered in 2004, it blooms in the early to midseason period and has very strong stems. The American Peony Society later awarded it the Gold Medal in 2021. It is one of the best pink peonies for gardeners who want a modern cultivar with reliable garden structure.

29. Doreen peony

Doreen peony is a Japanese-form cultivar introduced by H. E. Sass in 1949. The flowers are light rose pink with yellow staminodes suffused with pink, creating a bloom with several shades in the same flower rather than one uniform tone.

It blooms from midseason to late midseason on strong medium-height stems. The plant stays compact and practical, which makes it a good choice for gardeners who want a pink peony with distinctive flower structure and easier border placement.

30. Hillary Itoh peony

Hillary Itoh peony is an intersectional cultivar with red-pink and yellow blended petals that gradually fade toward cream on the outer portions of the bloom. The inner petals keep more of the stronger rose tone, which gives the flower a glowing center effect.

Introduced in 1999 by Roger F. Anderson, this peony has excellent plant habit and later received the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2020 and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009. It is a strong landscape choice when gardeners want pink tones on a sturdy Itoh plant.

31. First Arrival Itoh peony

First Arrival peony is a lavender-pink semi-double Itoh cultivar introduced by Roger F. Anderson in 1986. The flowers open in a cooler pink tone than most standard garden peonies and gradually fade lighter with age.

The dark green foliage and sturdy stems make it especially garden-friendly. This is a useful choice for gardeners who want a pink peony with a slightly purple cast and a modern intersectional habit.

32. Mutabilis Plena peony

Mutabilis Plena peony is an early heirloom double with bright pink streaking and a full, somewhat irregular flower form. The large blooms often need support, but the old-fashioned character is part of the appeal.

This variety suits gardeners who like antique peonies with variation in petal color and a less standardized look than modern exhibition cultivars. It adds personality to a collection of softer, more uniform pinks.

33. Dr. Alexander Fleming peony

Dr. Alexander Fleming peony is a richly colored rose-pink cultivar known for fragrance and generous side budding. Each stem often carries several buds, which lets gardeners choose between a fuller plant display or larger center flowers if the side buds are removed.

It is one of the more productive pink peonies for cutting gardens because a mature clump can provide many blooms over the flowering period. The large double flowers also hold their color well in the garden.

34. Salmon Dream peony

Salmon Dream peony is a pale salmon-pink semi-double herbaceous hybrid introduced by David L. Reath in 1979. It flowers early with sturdy 30-inch stems and glossy deep green foliage, making it one of the more practical warm pink peonies for landscape use.

This cultivar later received the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2008 and the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009. It is especially good for gardeners who want an early compact pink peony that rarely needs staking.

35. Petite Elegance peony

Petite Elegance peony is a compact semi-double pink lactiflora introduced in 1995. The flowers are soft delicate pink with an ivory-cream glow at the center, plus light raspberry streaking and faint speckling that give the petals a refined picotee effect.

At about 24 inches tall with good stem strength, it is one of the better pink peonies for smaller gardens and front-of-border planting. The restrained size is one of its main advantages.

36. Lady Liberty peony

Lady Liberty peony is often sold as a pink peony, but the registered cultivar known by this name is actually a bright flame-red herbaceous hybrid sport of ‘Great Lady’. It has a single cupped flower form, one bud per stem, good stem strength, and a compact plant around 20 inches tall.

Because names are sometimes confused in commerce, this is a cultivar worth checking carefully before buying. Gardeners looking for a true pink peony under this name may find different stock in the trade.

37. The Fawn peony

The Fawn peony is a speckled pink cultivar with rose-pink dots scattered over a blush background. The freckled effect gives the flowers more surface detail than a plain soft pink double.

It is a good choice for gardeners who want something visually unusual without moving away from the traditional romantic peony palette. The spotted petals are subtle but distinctive.

38. Lorelei peony

Lorelei peony is a warm pink herbaceous hybrid that shifts toward apricot-orange as the flowers mature. It was introduced by Don Hollingsworth in 1996 and is known for a sweet spicy fragrance, strong stems, and very reliable performance.

This midseason cultivar is especially useful when a planting includes coral and warm pink shades rather than only cool blush tones. It brings more color movement than most classic pink doubles.

39. Catharina Fontijn peony

Catharina Fontijn peony is a very fragrant pink double introduced in the Netherlands in 1952. The flower color fades from old pink to blush and finally to off white, so the same bloom can show several tones as it matures.

This long color transition makes it one of the more nuanced pink peonies for bouquets and mixed borders. It works especially well when grouped with deeper pink cultivars that need a softer companion.

40. Madame Calot peony

Madame Calot peony is a French heirloom introduced in 1856. It is an early large double with very light old-rose pink flowers, creamy collar tones, and darker crimson flaking toward the center. The fragrance is strong, and the stems are notably sturdy for such a full antique bloom.

This cultivar has long been valued as a cut flower because of its earliness and dependable productivity. It is one of the best pink heirlooms for gardeners who want old-fashioned beauty on a plant with real garden usefulness.

41. Scrumdiddlyumptious Itoh peony

Scrumdiddlyumptious Itoh peony is a specialty intersectional variety with yellow and pink blended petals and a softly frilled form. The color often deepens toward the edges, which gives the flowers an unusual warm ombré effect.

This is a better fit for collectors and gardeners who want something less traditional than a standard pink peony. It works especially well in plantings that already include coral, apricot, and cream tones.

42. Blush Queen peony

Blush Queen peony is a creamy white double with a very slight rose tint. Introduced in the Netherlands in 1949, it is free flowering, vigorous, and capable of producing large blooms 8 to 10 inches across on plants about 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall.

It belongs in a pink peony collection when the goal is a pale blush effect rather than an obviously pink flower. This variety helps lighten the palette without losing the softness associated with pink peonies.

43. Chiffon Parfait peony

Chiffon Parfait peony is a very late soft salmon-pink double introduced by Roy Klehm in 1981. The flowers are densely petaled and rounded, with the heavy ball-shaped form that makes this cultivar especially useful for exhibition and cutting.

It is also fragrant, reliable, and carried on strong stems with excellent foliage. Gardeners who want a late pink peony with a full formal bloom and better stem quality than many antique doubles often choose this one.

44. Belgravia peony

Belgravia peony is a dark pink double known for very large flowers and a strong presence in the border. The blooms often open with a deeper burgundy cast before settling into a vivid rich pink.

This is a good option for gardeners who want bold color rather than a pastel palette. It brings depth and weight to a mixed planting of softer pink peonies.

45. Florence Nicholls peony

Florence Nicholls peony is a very large, very fragrant double with blush-white flowers flushed in scarlet pink toward the center. Introduced in 1938, it has strong upright stems, vigorous growth, and excellent floriferousness.

Although often listed among white peonies, the bloom carries enough pink to make it relevant in soft pink plantings. It is especially useful for gardeners who want a pale flower with strong fragrance and upright habit.

46. Pink Double Dandy Itoh peony

Pink Double Dandy Itoh peony is a compact intersectional cultivar introduced in 2004. The semi-double to double flowers are lavender pink, darker toward the center, and about 6 inches wide. The plant is notably floriferous and can carry a long bloom period.

At about 22 inches tall, it is one of the better pink Itoh peonies for smaller spaces. The cooler pink tone also helps broaden the range in a collection dominated by warmer blush and coral cultivars.

47. Nellie Saylor peony

Nellie Saylor peony is a Japanese-form cultivar with deep wine-red to dark pink outer petals and a pale, pink-streaked center. The flowers sit well above the foliage, which makes the plant show clearly in the garden even from a distance.

This variety is a good fit for gardeners who want a darker pink peony with a more open and structured bloom than a full double. The distinctive flower form keeps it from disappearing in a mixed border.

48. Pink Choice peony

Pink Choice peony is a newer semi-double pink peony with a clear ombré effect from darker outer petals to softer inner tones. The flowers are lightly fragrant and carried on sturdy stems, which makes the plant useful in both borders and cutting beds.

This is a practical choice for gardeners who want a pink peony that looks fresh and modern rather than heavily antique. The semi-double form also gives it a lighter presence in the landscape.

49. Butter Bowl peony

Butter Bowl peony is a bicolor Japanese-form peony with pink outer guard petals and a yellow center. The contrast between the two colors is the main appeal, and the open flower structure shows the central petaloids clearly.

It is a good pink peony for gardeners who want more textural variety in a planting. The yellow center also helps tie pink peonies into nearby yellow and cream flowers.

50. Honey Gold peony

Honey Gold peony is a frilly bomb-shaped double introduced by Carl G. Klehm in 1970. The flowers combine creamy white outer petals with yellow-gold staminodes and pink petaloids toward the center, creating a soft mix of blush, cream, and gold.

The stems are strong, which adds to its usefulness as a cut flower. Although it is not a straightforward solid pink peony, it is a useful finishing choice in a pink collection because the blush tones become more pronounced as the blooms mature.