The Coral Peony Rose
On of most beautiful of all of the Peonies is ‘Peony Coral Charm’. This is an early flowering herbaceous peony with coral pink flowers. Semi double and chalice shaped, this is a peony that changes colour as at ages.
The large Coral Pink flowers fade to a peach colour and eventually turn to a yellow. This is a strong growing variety that is easy in the garden and one of the most popular with cut flower growers.
Look for large rooted cuttings with around 5 eyes if you are buying in autumn, this will help guarantee a good show of flowers in spring. Smaller plants may take a few years to reach full flowering potential, however this is a long lived plant and well worth the wait.
Origins and Breeding
‘Peony Coral Charm’ is a hybrid peony introduced by renowned American peony breeder Samuel Wissing in 1964. It was one of the first of the coral-colored hybrids to gain attention and acclaim, thanks to its vibrant tones and early flowering period. Its parentage includes Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia peregrina, blending the best of both species in terms of color, form, and strength.
As one of the earliest coral peonies bred for ornamental and cut-flower use, ‘Coral Charm’ set the standard for what a modern hybrid peony could be. Its introduction marked a turning point in the world of peony breeding, with coral tones becoming increasingly popular in gardens and floristry.
How To Grow Peony Coral Charm – Basic Care.
One of the reasons ‘Coral Charm’ has remained so popular is its reliability and ease of growth. Once established, it becomes as hardy and dependable as an oak, producing showy blooms each spring without fail.
It has a strong, upright habit, typically growing to about 3 feet (90 cm) tall and wide. The stems are sturdy enough to hold the large flowers without support—making it perfect for both cutting and landscaping. The dark emerald-green foliage, deeply serrated and glossy, provides a striking contrast to the coral blooms.
- Like all peonies, ‘Peony Coral Charm’ prefers a humus rich soil with plenty of lime. They do like a cold winter and perform best in these conditions.
- Choose a position in full sun, or with a little afternoon shade, the plant will reach around 1 metre in height once established and will need around 80 cm to 1m to spread.
- Prepare the planting hole by digging over an area twice a big as what is needed. Dig in some well rotted compost, some aged cow manure and a good 4 cups of dolomite lime.
- The new plant should be watered in well and kept moist from when the first shoots appear right through flowering.
- After flowering, little extra water will be required. Although peonies hold their foliage right through summer, the root systems shut down, this lessons the amount of water required for survival.
Peony Coral Charm as a Cut Flower
‘Coral Charm’ is not just a garden star—it’s also a darling of the florist trade. You’ll find it featured in floral arrangements from supermarkets to boutique flower shops, especially in spring and early summer.
It has a long vase life, often lasting 7–10 days if cut in bud at the “marshmallow stage”—when the bud is soft to the touch but not yet open. Stems can reach over 2.5 feet (75 cm) in length, making them ideal for arrangements. As the plant matures, it produces more stems and more blooms each season, rewarding your patience with increasing abundance.
While ‘Peony Coral Charm’ has little to no fragrance, what it lacks in scent it more than makes up for in visual impact.
Peony ‘Coral Charm’ is available for sale from the following participating nurseries.
357 Monbulk Road SILVAN VIC 3795
Guaranteed "garden worthy" bulbs, plants and perennials. Visit the website to browse our large range of daffodils or request the latest free catalogue.
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