Choosing Yellow and Yellow-Centered Peonies: Chinese vs. Japanese Types and Value Buying

Top Cultivars

• ‘Gold Crown’ — Tree peony, vivid yellow.
• ‘Kinshi’ — Herbaceous (Chinese/Japanese), bright yellow.

Chinese vs. Japanese Peonies

“Chinese” = herbaceous Paeonia lactiflora cultivars. “Japanese” = a flower form (single/guard petals with staminodes), not a species. Both can be yellow.

Buying Advice

• Don’t overpay — prices dropped after Chinese market opened.
• Buy largest divisions you can afford (3–5 eyes).
• Plant in fall for best establishment.
• Expect 2–3 years to significant bloom.

Planting Tip

Eyes no deeper than 2 inches. Full sun, rich soil, good drainage. Stake tree peonies.