Peony (Paeonia 'Pink Hawaiian Coral')
Herbaceous Peony 'Pink Hawaiian Coral' showcases showy, fragrant coral pink blooms in May. Hardy in zones 3-8.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ is a renowned herbaceous perennial cherished for its spectacular mid-season display of color and fragrance. This specific Peony hybrid produces large, double blooms of vibrant coral pink set against attractive yellow centers, providing a significant focal point in the spring garden. It is a relatively straightforward plant to incorporate into established perennial borders, offering reliable performance year after year.
As an herbaceous Peony, Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ offers sturdy, shrub-like growth throughout the season before dying completely back to the ground after the first hard frost, signaling the dormancy period. Gardeners appreciate this variety not only for its exquisite flowers, which are excellent cut flowers, but also for its tidy habit after blooming. Proper placement ensures gardeners can enjoy the beauty of the Peony without compromising the aesthetics of summer bedding plants.
This variety typically reaches 2.5 to 3 feet tall and wide, making it a perfect mid-border specimen. While its blooms are showy, they are substantial and may require minimal staking, especially after heavy rain. Offering high resistance to common pests, Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ is a wise long-term investment for low-fuss, high-impact spring color.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Paeoniaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 2.5-3 ft
- Spread: 2.5-3 ft
- Bloom Time: May
- Bloom Description: Coral pink with yellow centers
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
The ideal time to plant Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ is in fall, although spring planting is possible if careful attention is paid to watering. Locate your Peony in a spot that receives full sun to light part shade, ensuring rich, fertile, medium moisture soil that drains exceptionally well. Always incorporate compost into the planting area before setting the root crown.
Maintenance for this Peony is relatively relaxed once established. Ensure plants receive medium water, particularly during dry spells, avoiding perpetually soggy conditions. While they are long-lived and do not require division, providing support for the heavy blooms is often necessary to prevent flopping.
As summer concludes, remove spent flowers to tidy the plant. Critically, cut the entire foliage down to the ground after the foliage yellows or after the first hard frost hits in autumn, removing the debris from the garden to prevent overwintering fungal spores. Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ plants are famously long-lived and thrive when left undisturbed for decades.
Landscape Uses
Peonies are foundational plants for the classic perennial border, where Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ serves beautifully as a standalone specimen or planted in small drifts. The foliage remains attractive throughout the summer, providing structure long after the stunning May bloom period ends. Use them toward the middle or back of the border, framing fences or walls where they can be easily admired.
The strong, upright habit (with minor staking) allows this Peony to act as an informal, low herbaceous hedge along walkways or driveways, offering superb curb appeal early in the season. Because they contrast nicely with later-blooming summer perennials, consider pairing them immediately behind early summer bloomers like Salvia or Geraniums to ensure continuous visual interest during the transition. Their formality also works well in traditional cottage gardens.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Paeonia is a genus celebrated globally, with herbaceous types like this Peony dying back annually. Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ is an herbaceous hybrid resulting from a cross involving known cultivars. It features fragrant, round-petaled, double flowers displaying coral pink hues and yellow center stamens, appearing in the early season.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
Potential Problems
Generally, Peonies are quite resilient regarding pests; however, gardeners should monitor for Botrytis blight and Phytophthora blight, especially in overly damp conditions. Ants congregating on the flower buds early in development are entirely harmless and should be left alone, as they sometimes help protect the buds. If your Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ fails to bloom, common culprits include planting too deep or too shallow, insufficient sunlight, or disturbance from recent transplanting. Due to their large, heavy flowers, staking is often required to prevent arching, which can cause the bloom heads to touch the soil, particularly after rain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Peony suitable for?
Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ performs best when grown in USDA Zones 3 through 8. Confirming your local hardiness zone ensures this perennial thrives long-term.
How large does Peony grow?
This herbaceous perennial typically matures to a height between 2.5 and 3 feet, with a symmetrical spread also ranging from 2.5 to 3 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Peony need?
For the best flowering and overall health, Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ requires full sun, although it can tolerate partial shade.
When does Peony bloom?
This specific Peony variety typically blooms in May, offering beautiful coral pink flowers with distinct yellow centers.
Conclusion
Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ remains a cornerstone in temperate gardens due to its impressive size, delightful fragrance, and reliable spring performance. This highly valued Peony delivers an outstanding 7-10 day floral show that sets the standard for early-season color. Plan your garden layout now to ensure Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ receives adequate sun exposure upon planting this fall.
Companion Planting with Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’
Since Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ finishes its main display relatively early (May), thoughtful companion planting is essential to bridge the gap to summer blooms while respecting its cultural needs. Select companions that appreciate similar medium moisture soil and full sun to part shade conditions. Good partners include early season Alliums, which provide vertical interest as the peony foliage fills in, or spring-flowering bulbs which finish before the peony reaches its peak height.
To maintain strong visual support during the summer, plant perennials like Siberian Iris or Nepeta tucked in near the base of the Peony. These later bloomers allow the Peony foliage to offer a dense, green backdrop through July and August. Avoid placing moisture-loving annuals directly beside it, as peonies dislike excessive competition for soil moisture during their establishment phase.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring care focuses heavily on support and clean-up. As new shoots emerge from the ground, install sturdy peony rings or stakes before the stems grow too tall and flop. In early to mid-May, monitor for emerging buds and ensure rain doesn’t saturate the heavy blooms excessively.
Summer maintenance involves deadheading spent flowers promptly to redirect the plant’s energy back into root development rather than seed production. Keep the area weeded, being careful not to disturb the shallow root system, and water deeply if natural rainfall is scarce. The foliage should be left intact until it naturally yellows in the fall.
Fall is the critical time for winter preparation. Once the first hard frost has occurred, cut all the dead herbaceous stems of Paeonia ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’ down to the ground level. Removing this foliage minimizes any chance of fungal diseases carrying over into the next growing season, ensuring a healthier start for your long-lived Peony next spring.
