Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield' is a classic garden peony native to central Asia that brings timeless elegance to temperate landscapes. This herbaceous shrub grows 30 to 36 inches tall and wide, producing fragrant, showy flowers from May through early June that are excellent for cutting. Hardy in zones 3 to 8, it thrives in rich, well-drained soil with moderate water and maintenance, rewarding patient gardeners with decades of reliable blooms without needing division.
Partial Sun
Moderate
3-8
36in H x 36in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Large, fragrant blooms with a showy presence make this peony a standout in late spring gardens, arriving when many other plants are still waking up. Ants commonly visit the buds, but this is entirely harmless and often signals healthy flower development. The foliage emerges on distinctly red-tinged stems and remains attractive through summer before dying back cleanly after frost, leaving no messy cleanup.
This peony serves as a specimen shrub and hedge plant, valued for its ability to anchor borders and create structure in perennial gardens. The fragrant, long-lasting flowers are prized for cutting, lasting 7 to 10 days in a vase and bringing garden fragrance indoors. The showy fruit that follows flowering adds ornamental interest in late summer.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
No care instructions available yet for this variety.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Paeonia lactiflora, commonly known as the common garden peony or Chinese peony, originated in central Asia, ranging from eastern Siberia through Mongolia to eastern Tibet. The genus name derives from Paeon, the physician of the gods in Greek mythology, who was reputed to have discovered the medicinal properties of plants in this group. 'Karl Rosenfield' represents centuries of horticultural refinement of this species, carrying forward a legacy of garden cultivation that spans continents and generations.”