Itoh Peonies

Itoh Peonies are a hybrid variety of peony, created by crossing garden peonies with tree peonies. They were developed by Toichi Itoh, a Japanese breeder, in the 1940s and 1950s. Itoh Peonies have large, colourful blooms that resemble the flowers of tree peonies, but with the hardiness and ease of care of garden peonies. They are highly prized by gardeners for their beauty and reliability, and come in a range of colours and forms.

18 inches
Height
24 inches
Spread
Full
Sunlight
4a
Hardiness Zone

Ornamental Features

Itoh Peonies features bold lightly-scented flowers in late spring. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its compound leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Itoh Peonies are a herbaceous perennial with a more or less rounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don’t particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favour of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Disease

Itoh Peonies are recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use
Planting & Growing

Itoh Peonies will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. The flower stalks can be weak and so it may require staking in exposed sites or excessively rich soils. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn’t be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.