Fernleaf Peony Adds Unexpected Color and Texture to Your Garden

Upgrade your garden with this unique perennial that will add statement flowers as well as soft texture.

In spring, peonies are among the most gorgeous plants you'll find bursting into bloom. The fernleaf peony (Paeonia tenuifolia) features petal-packed red flowers that reach up to 3 inches across. This peony species combines huge blossoms with fine-textured, feathery leaves for a truly stunning bloom. The flowers have short stems, so they look like they sit directly on the foliage. Although the plants grow wild in parts of Eastern Europe, they're underused in landscapes and deserve a place in your garden.

How to Grow Fernleaf Peony

Hardy in Zones 3-8, fernleaf peony does best in part shade to full sun. The best time to plant your fernleaf peony is in the fall. It's not picky about soil type as long as it's well-drained. If you have sandy or clay soil, it helps to mix plenty of compost into the planting site. It may take a couple of years for your new plant to bloom, but it is worth the wait when its gorgeous crimson petals finally unfurl.

Buy It: Fernleaf Peony ($65, Breck's)

The fernleaf peony is sometimes called the Mother's Day peony for its early spring bloom. Its flowers last for about seven to 10 days. With shorter stems than more common peony varieties, the fernleaf peony stays upright and usually doesn't need staking. When it's done blooming, remove the spent flowers to maintain and enjoy the feathery foliage in your landscape throughout the summer.

After the foliage dies back in the fall, cut the fernleaf peony back to the ground to make way for new growth in spring. A little balanced fertilizer or additional compost at this time will give your plant a boost. Avoid dividing or transplanting this peony because it does not like to be disturbed. Pests and diseases like as powdery mildew aren't usually a problem for this plant, and deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone.

Related: 6 Fascinating Facts About Peonies That Will Make You Love Their Gorgeous Flowers Even More

Because they're somewhat rare, fernleaf peonies can be pricey, but as perennial plants, they live for many years. Even one of these plants in your garden will turn heads, but fernleaf peonies look even more stunning in small groups. They also are gorgeous edging plants because they stay compact, growing about 2 feet tall. If you want to plant something new, fernleaf peony will undoubtedly become one of your favorites in the garden.

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