9 Best Peonies That Will Grow in the Shade

Peonies, with their exceptional, fully-petaled flowers, enchant the spring and early summer display. While many peonies are sun-loving, they also do well with dappled light or afternoon shade protection in climates with intense heat or sun. While all need some sunlight to flower, some perform better in shade than others. 

Situated beneath deciduous trees, along the woodland edge, or in a shady part of the border is an ideal placement for peonies that grow in shade. Deciduous trees provide spring sunlight, and once leaves emerge, they grant shade in summer.

P. obovata

	common name P. obovata
	botanical name Paeonia obovata
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 5-8

P. obovata is a woodland species and one of the earliest-flowering. Unlike herbaceous (or common garden peony) types, it grows in shady spots. This woodland peony is native to temperate forest understories in eastern Asia, particularly Siberia and China. Because it flowers early, it benefits from the early spring sun exposure and then summer’s leafy canopy.

Woodland peonies have blossoms in pure white to rose-purple that are smaller than herbaceous hybrids, at three inches across. Yellow centers are open and accessible to pollinators as petals unfurl, and blooms have a light fragrance to delight bees and garden visitors. The plants have a shrubby form with attractive foliage even when not in flower. After flowering, berries develop in green capsules and open to black fruits on red stems in late summer.

The bushy perennials form low hedges or brighten shaded borders and woodland edges in small groups. Woodland peonies are low maintenance and lend a naturalistic look to the arrangement.

P. japonica

	common name P. japonica
	botanical name Paeonia obovata subsp. japonica
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1-1.5’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Another woodland peony with early blooms and a preference for shade is Paeonia obovata subsp. japonica. Native to Korea and Japan, it has pure white single blooms with prominent fuzzy yellow centers. Bees and butterflies appreciate the open stamens. Each plant holds loads of small flowers on mounded, busy foliage.

This woodland species resembles P. obovata, and is in fact one of its subspecies. The cupped flowers are fragrant and dark berries follow in late summer. The easy-care species are an asset to the shade perennial collection with longevity and reliable performance.

Tree Peony

	common name Tree Peony
	botanical name Paeonia suffruticosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Tree peonies bring height and bountiful, extra large blooms. While herbaceous varieties die back to the ground in winter, tree peonies have woody stems that remain and set buds for early flowering. They usually bloom before herbaceous varieties, have a taller shrub form, and have heftier blooms for a full show of early color. 

Available in numerous cultivars in colors from burgundy to blush to white, the straight species is native to China and the Himalayas. It has pink to white flowers with purple at their base. The blooms reach six to eight inches across with a sweet fragrance. The deeply divided create a handsome backdrop when not in flower. 

While the floral display is short and lasts only about a week to ten days, the big bloom makes up for the brevity. And, they form bushy hedges or focal specimens for three seasons. Three to four hours of sun throughout the day encourages the large blooms, but gardeners report success with as little as two hours. Being an early spring bloomer, they receive the necessary sunlight in a deciduous setting before the tree canopy fully emerges.

Maire’s Peony

	common name Maire’s Peony
	botanical name Paeonia mairei
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 5-8

P. mairei is another Chinese woodland species and is pretty-in-pink in the shade. Single, rosy saucers open with golden stamens at the center. The showy center, coupled with a delicate spicy fragrance, earn this one the Royal Horticultural Society “Plant for Pollinators” tag. 

To add to the interest of the delightful petals are new leaves that emerge bronzey red and mature to deep green. Flowers sit just above the foliage on sturdy upright stems.

Woodlanders are early to bloom, opening in March in mild winters and April in cold climates. They have an extended flowering time, showing color for a few weeks early in the season. 

‘High Noon’

	common name ‘High Noon’
	botanical name Paeonia x lemoinei ‘High Noon’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5’
	hardiness zones 4-8

‘High Noon’ is a favorite tree peony with lemony yellow petals and a flared scarlet interior around the gold center. Its semi-double blooms top tall, upright stems.

‘High Noon’ is an Award of Garden Merit recipient for its landscape performance, ornament, and stature with large, sunny blooms. It’s a good contender to try in shadier locales. In its optimal growing conditions, ‘High Noon’ may throw a rebloom later in the season.

‘Red Charm’

	common name ‘Red Charm’
	botanical name Paeonia ‘Red Charm’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Red Charm’ is an old-fashioned beauty. The classic from 1944 is an herbaceous hybrid (P. officinalis x lactiflora). In rich red, enchanting double blooms rest on strong, stiff stems. 

As an early bloomer with strong performance, ‘Red Charm’ is one to try in some shade with reported good color. In too much shade, flowers will be smaller, or won’t appear at all.

‘Red Charm’ is an award-winner, including the American Peony Society Gold Medal. It prefers shade protection in the afternoon and has a vigorous habit. Dramatic, fragrant, and heat-tolerant, ‘Red Charm’ peonies are a staple for reliable blooming and attractive foliage all summer, even in partial shade.

‘First Arrival’

	common name ‘First Arrival’
	botanical name Paeonia lactiflora ‘First Arrival’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 3-8

The advantage of ‘First Arrival’ is that as an early peony among its group, it may receive spring sun as new leaves develop on deciduous trees. Itoh peonies are intersectional hybrids that bring the longest bloom time of all the peonies. Cold hardy and with the vigor of hybrids, Itoh have sturdy stems, good disease resistance, attractive divided foliage, and sizeable flowers. They thrive in the sun but also tolerate variable shade.

‘First Arrival’ is an early-blooming Itoh. In lovely shades of pink, the tissuey petals have lavender overtones and ruffled edges. Deep magenta centers bring rich contrast.

A rose perfume accompanies the large, semi-double flowers that reach eight inches across. Mature specimens are prolific, with 30 to 40 blooms. The open centres draw pollinators as petals open fully. ‘First Arrival’ is another Award of Garden Merit recipient.

Tibetan

	common name Tibetan
	botanical name Paeonia ludlowii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5-9’
	hardiness zones 6-8

P. ludlowii is a species of tree peony (also called Ludlow’s tree peony) and a small, deciduous shrub with a big presence among the genus. Cupped blooms in bright gold open as the leaves unfurl in spring. The sunny blooms are open and large at four to five inches across. They’re also a pollinator draw and appear in numbers as plants clump and produce more stems.

Ludlow’s peonies make a singular focal point and shrubby backdrop in the mixed border. Plant them in a group for a naturalistic hedge. The Tibetan natives grow naturally in sparse forests and thickets and have long, straight stems that hold the blooms tall. 

‘Bartzella’

	common name ‘Bartzella’
	botanical name Paeonia ‘Bartzella’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 30-36”
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Bartzella’ is an elegant yellow Itoh cultivar with soft lemon petals in double and semi-double arrangements. A scarlet rose blush flare at the center punctuates the bloom. The flowers float in uniform profusion just above deep green, dissected foliage.

As ‘Bartzella’ is a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies, a sweet fragrance accompanies the amplified flowers on sturdy stems with a compact form. The massive blooms measure six to eight inches across. Robust growth and flowering, as well as its distinctive color, earned ‘Bartzella’ the American Peony Society Gold Medal and the Award of Garden Merit. 

The standout intersectional is from renowned U.S. peony hybridizer Roger Anderson. While intersectionals flourish in six or so hours of sun, they tolerate partial shade, especially with protection from direct afternoon sunlight.