Heart of Darkness peony
Paeonia 'Heart of Darkness'
APS Registry
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size3 to 6.5 feet tall3 to 5 feet wide
- Habit
- Erect
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Bloom color
- Crimson, dark brown shading
- Soil types
- Loam
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
'Heart of Darkness' peony (Paeonia 'Heart of Darkness') is a shrub for borders, cut flowers, and specimen planting. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full or part sun and average to moist, loamy soil. Crimson blooms shade to dark brown in early to late spring, and butterflies visit them. Deer and rabbits usually look elsewhere for a meal. Prof. Arthur Percy Saunders bred it in 1948.
Pairs well with Korean spice viburnum, Obedient plant, and Stargazer lily.