White peonies (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) are classic spring flowers that gardeners and florists return to year after year. These blooms range from pure white to soft cream and blush tones. Many varieties offer strong fragrance and large flowers that work well in both garden beds and cut arrangements.
‘Duchesse de Nemours’ peony
‘Duchesse de Nemours’ is the most popular white peony. This French heirloom produces full double blooms packed with fluffy white petals. Flowers measure 5 to 6 inches across and form nearly ball-shaped heads. The foliage is dark green and stays attractive throughout the season. French breeder Calot introduced this cultivar in 1856. It received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
The plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom in mid to late spring and reach 34 to 36 inches tall with a spread of 32 to 36 inches. Growth is slow but steady once established.
‘Festiva Maxima’ peony
‘Festiva Maxima’ is another popular French heirloom. These full double flowers reach 6 to 7 inches wide and stand out for their red-pink petal tips. The color appears as irregular flecks concentrated at the edges of the center petals. Auguste Joseph Miellez bred this cultivar in France and introduced it in 1851. It also received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. It blooms early in the peony season, typically in early to mid spring. The heavy flowers may need support from a peony ring. Plants reach 32 to 34 inches tall and spread 30 to 36 inches wide.
‘Moon Over Barrington’ peony
‘Moon Over Barrington’ produces cream-white double blooms with rose-shaped form. The flowers are very large at 8 inches wide and carry a spicy floral scent. The foliage is glossy dark green. American breeder Roy Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, introduced this cultivar in 1986.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom in mid to late season, generally in mid-spring or early summer. Growth is moderate, with mature plants reaching 28 to 32 inches tall and 26 to 36 inches wide.
‘Gardenia’ peony
‘Gardenia’ produces blush-white double blooms that resemble gardenia flowers. Each flower reaches about 6 inches wide. Blooms open as soft pink blush and mature to ivory white. The dark green foliage stays attractive, and the stems hold up the heavy flowers without support. Eugene Lins of Cologne, Minnesota, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1949.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. Plants grow slowly but eventually reach 32 inches tall with a spread of 32 to 36 inches. The flowers make excellent cuts for arrangements.
‘Bridal Shower’ peony
‘Bridal Shower’ is a creamy white double bombe-type peony. A central ball of ivory petals sits on top of longer outer petals. Flowers measure about 6 inches wide and carry a pleasant fragrance. The stems are strong and the foliage is ornamental. Roy Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, introduced this cultivar in 1981.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom mid-season in mid to late spring. Growth is moderate, with mature plants reaching 34 inches tall and 30 to 34 inches wide.
‘Class Act’ peony
‘Class Act’ produces cream-colored double blooms with soft blush-cream petals. The flowers look like old-fashioned roses and carry a sweet floral scent. Each bloom measures about 7 inches across. Stems are sturdy and foliage is dark green. Roy Klehm introduced this cultivar in 1991.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. It blooms mid-season in mid to late spring. Plants grow at a moderate rate to 32 inches tall and 26 to 36 inches wide.
‘Krinkled White’ peony
‘Krinkled White’ is a single-petal white peony with ornamental yellow stamens in the center. The showy flowers attract pollinators and work well as cut flowers. Blooms measure 5 to 6 inches wide. Stems are sturdy and foliage is medium green. Archie Mack Brand of Faribault, Minnesota, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1928.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. Plants grow at a moderate rate and reach 24 to 36 inches tall with a similar spread.
‘Bowl of Cream’ peony
‘Bowl of Cream’ produces very large cream-colored double blooms. Flowers reach 9 to 10 inches wide on established plants. The dark green foliage is highly ornamental, and strong stems support the massive blooms. Carl G. Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1963.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom mid-season in late spring to early summer. Growth is slow, with mature plants reaching 30 to 32 inches tall and 30 to 36 inches wide.
‘Green Halo’ peony
‘Green Halo’ is a white-green double peony with a unique color combination. A central ball of white petals sits on top of light green outer guard petals. Flowers measure 6 to 7 inches wide at peak bloom. The medium green foliage complements the flowers. Roy Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, introduced this cultivar in 1999.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. It blooms early to mid-season in mid-spring. Plants grow slowly to 30 inches tall and 30 inches wide.
‘Shirley Temple’ peony
‘Shirley Temple’ is a popular blush-white double peony with large flowers. Blooms open as light rose-pink and mature to cream-white. They can reach 8 inches wide at peak bloom. The flowers attract pollinators and carry a strong floral scent. Leaves are glossy dark green. The large flowers may need support from a peony ring. This cultivar was potentially bred in Holland before 1952, though some sources credit Louis Smirnow of Brookville, New York.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom early in the peony season. Growth is slow, with mature plants reaching 30 to 32 inches tall and 30 to 36 inches wide.
‘Blush Queen’ peony
‘Blush Queen’ produces soft cream-colored double blooms with hints of pink in the center. These large flowers reach 8 to 10 inches across on mature plants. The foliage is medium green. Aart Hoogendoorn of Boskoop, Netherlands, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1949.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 9. It blooms mid-season in late spring or early summer. Plants grow 36 to 42 inches tall and about 36 inches wide.
‘Top Brass’ peony
‘Top Brass’ is a double bombe-type cream-white peony with a canary-yellow ring of staminodes around the center. The tall fluffy blooms are large at 6 to 7 inches wide and carry a sweet scent. Plants bloom prolifically and have glossy green foliage. Carl G. Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, introduced this cultivar in 1968.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. Growth is slow, with mature plants reaching 28 to 32 inches tall and 32 to 36 inches wide.
‘Jan van Leeuwen’ peony
‘Jan van Leeuwen’ is an heirloom Japanese-type peony with white petals and a striking yellow center. These plants have strong stems, dense green foliage, and minimal care needs. The bowl-shaped blooms measure about 5 inches wide. Leonard van Leeuwen of Sassenheim, Netherlands, bred this cultivar in 1928.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. It blooms late in the season, typically in early summer. Plants grow at a moderate rate to 34 to 36 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide.
‘Marie Lemoine’ peony
‘Marie Lemoine’ is an heirloom double peony with lemon-white flowers. The foliage is dark green and glossy. Fluffy blooms grow to about 6 inches wide and become more white as they mature on the stem. Jacques Calot of Douai, France, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1869.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. This variety blooms late in the season, typically in early summer. Growth is slow, with mature plants reaching 24 to 26 inches tall and about 30 inches wide.
‘Honey Gold’ peony
‘Honey Gold’ is a soft pink, yellow, and white double bombe-type peony. The fragrant blooms are 6 inches wide and ball-shaped. Outer guard petals are creamy white. The prominent center has yellow-gold staminodes and the very center blooms with pink petaloids. The soft yellow and pink shades are more pronounced on mature plants and established blooms. Carl G. Klehm of South Barrington, Illinois, introduced this cultivar in 1970.
This variety grows in USDA Zones 3 to 8. Plants grow slowly to 30 inches tall with a spread of 23 to 36 inches.
‘Moon River’ peony
‘Moon River’ produces cream-pink double blooms that mature to 8 inches wide. The center of the flower tends to be cream-white while the outer petals have a pink blush. Foliage is dark green. Carl G. Klehm introduced this cultivar in 1972.
Plants grow well in USDA Zones 3 to 8. Mature plants reach 34 to 36 inches tall and 30 to 36 inches wide.
‘Solange’ peony
‘Solange’ is a pink-white double peony with rose-like blooms. Flowers are large at 7 inches wide in full bloom. The foliage is dark green. Victor Lemoine of Nancy, France, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1907.
This variety thrives in USDA Zones 3 to 8. It blooms late in early summer, with blooms that open slowly. Mature plants tend to be about 36 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide.
‘Joker’ peony
‘Joker’ is a pink-white double peony with unique pink-tipped petals. Double blooms reach 8 inches wide and sit on short, stocky stems. Flowers have a bright pink shade when they first open. White tones develop as the petals unfurl. The foliage has a green-grey color. This cultivar was likely bred by W. S. Bockstoce of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and introduced by Henry Landis of Willowdale, Ontario, and Allan Rogers of Sherwood, Oregon.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. They bloom early to mid-season in mid-spring. These compact plants reach 30 to 32 inches tall and 30 inches wide when mature.
‘Renkaku’ tree peony
‘Renkaku’ is a pure-white heirloom tree peony. The semi-double white flowers can be 8 inches across. Foliage is pointed with a rich green shade. This variety is named for its resemblance to a “Flight of Cranes” while in full bloom. Yokohama Nurseries of Yokohama, Japan, first offered this cultivar in 1898.
This tree peony grows well in USDA Zones 4 to 7. It flowers early in mid-spring. Mature plants can grow 3 to 7 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide.
‘Florence Nicholls’ peony
‘Florence Nicholls’ is a creamy-pink fragrant double peony. The large flowers resemble old-fashioned roses and reach 7 inches across. Blooms tend to be salmon-pink as they first open, typically maturing to blush white. This is a particularly fragrant variety. Colonel Jesse Crook Nicholls of Ithaca, New York, bred this cultivar and introduced it in 1938.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. This variety flowers early to mid-season in mid-spring. Plants grow to about 38 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide.
‘Cora Louise’ Itoh peony
‘Cora Louise’ is a white Itoh peony with purple centers. The semi-double flowers measure 8 to 10 inches across. A single plant can produce up to 50 flowers once established. The foliage is dark green and highly ornamental. Roger F. Anderson of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, introduced this cultivar in 1986.
Plants grow in USDA Zones 3 to 8. This variety is low-growing, reaching 23 to 27 inches tall. Established plants can spread up to 36 inches wide.
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