Tree peony (Paeonia 'Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers')
Spectacular Tree peony, Paeonia 'Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers', offers showy, fragrant pinkish-red blooms in spring.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ is a magnificent deciduous shrub belonging to the highly revered Tree peony group. This cultivar is prized for its substantial, showy flowers that appear in late spring, offering a multi-toned pinkish-red display that lives up to its elegant namesake. Unlike common herbaceous peonies, the structure of the Tree peony remains through winter, establishing it as a long-lived woody specimen in the landscape.
As a medium-sized shrub, Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ provides excellent vertical interest and structure, functioning beautifully as a specimen plant or a formal hedge. Successful cultivation hinges on providing fertile, well-drained soil and protection from harsh midday sun or strong winds, ensuring its long life and spectacular spring performance. Gardeners investing in this traditional beauty will be rewarded for years with its fragrant, richly colored blooms.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Paeoniaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 3-5 ft
- Spread: 3-4 ft
- Bloom Time: April to May
- Bloom Description: Multi-toned pinkish red
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
The best time to establish your Tree peony, Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’, is usually in the fall, though planting upon receipt is acceptable. Select a location offering deep, fertile, well-drained soil, ideally in full sun or partial afternoon shade. Amend the planting site generously with compost before planting to ensure an excellent start for these deep-rooted beauties.
Ongoing care requires medium water, especially during dry spells, though established plants are somewhat heat tolerant. Avoid overly wet conditions which can cause root issues. As a Tree peony, this superb shrub does not die back to the ground in winter; consequently, avoid cutting stems back after frost. Pruning should be minimal, restricted to removing any dead wood or suckers in early spring. Some winter protection is recommended for USDA Zone 4 settings.
These long-lived plants require patience, often taking several years to fully establish themselves once planted. Because their roots burrow deeply, transplanting the established Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ can be quite difficult, underscoring the need to choose a permanent location wisely. Spent flowers should be promptly removed to redirect energy back into the woody structure.
Landscape Uses
The exceptional floral display of Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ makes it highly versatile in garden design. It excels as a specimen plant, drawing the eye with its massive, colorful flowers, or planted in groups to create a stunning border display against a backdrop of green. Its structure—reaching 3 to 5 feet tall—also makes it effective when used as accents along fences or walls.
Consider using this large-flowered Tree peony to frame entryways or along sidewalks where its beauty can be clearly appreciated up close. The foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season, providing solid structure even after the bloom period. Combine with early spring bulbs or later-blooming perennials that can thrive in similar sun and soil conditions to extend visual interest around your featured Tree peony.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Paeonia is a genus of about 30 species of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs from Europe to Asia and in Western North America. The Tree peony, unlike herbaceous types, maintains woody stems year-round. Notably, Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ exhibits double, 8-inch flowers with a sweet fragrance, though younger plants may produce slightly smaller semi-double blooms.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
Potential Problems
Tree peonies are generally resilient, considered relatively pest free, though susceptibility exists to fungal issues like canker, leaf blotch, and Botrytis blight, as well as Verticillium wilt. Ants frequently visit the developing buds, but they are entirely harmless to the plant structure. Watch for signs of Japanese beetles or scale insects that may occasionally feed on the foliage or stems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Tree peony suitable for?
Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ is reliably hardy across USDA Zones 4 through 8, though Zone 4 growers should implement slight winter protection.
How large does Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ grow?
This Tree peony reaches a mature height between 3 and 5 feet tall, with a spread of 3 to 4 feet wide, forming a sturdy, multi-stemmed shrub.
What sun exposure does Tree peony need?
For the best bloom production and robust health, this variety requires full sun to light part shade. Excessive afternoon sun in hotter climates may warrant afternoon shade.
When does Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ bloom?
This variety puts on its spectacular show during the transition from spring to early summer, typically blooming from April to May with multi-toned pinkish red flowers.
Conclusion
The incredible floral display and woody structure establish Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’ as a cornerstone specimen for any sophisticated garden design. Its fragrance and reliable performance in Zones 4-8 make it a treasured addition. Before planting, ensure you have selected a permanent, well-drained location where this magnificent Tree peony can thrive undisturbed for decades.
Design Ideas
When placing Paeonia ‘Yang Gui Fei Wearing Crown of Kingfisher Feathers’, consider using its height as a transition between lawn areas and taller background shrubs. Because the flowers are so dramatic, avoid placing them directly next to wildly contrasting colors; instead, choose soft purples, blues, or whites for companions that complement the pinkish-red tones without competing. Low-growing groundcovers that don’t require heavy summer watering are excellent choices for shading the soil around the base and keeping developing buds cool.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring is the critical time to introduce compost around the base of your Tree peony structure and gently remove any dead wood visible after the last hard frost. Summer care focuses primarily on ensuring medium moisture levels; water deeply if conditions become dry, remembering that peonies dislike being waterlogged. In autumn, gardeners can perform a light pruning in early fall if shaping is necessary to manage leggy growth, but generally, wait until very early spring to perform any structural cuts.
