Itoh Peonies

Undeniably lavish in bloom, Itohs (and those classified as Intersectionals) surprise some gardeners for being just as hardy and easy to grow as our more familiar garden peonies.

These wonders are a cross between herbaceous garden peonies and tree peonies and feature the best of both. Giant 6–9" blossoms (like the ones on tree peonies) open in early summer as many of the garden peonies are fading. The growth habit is similar to garden peonies with attractive mounded foliage that dies back in the winter. Strong stems rarely need staking. Side buds bloom late into the season. Don’t cut it back to the ground in fall. Leave at least 6" of hardwood stems above the ground—next year’s buds need room to develop on the lower stems.

To help you succeed with these pricier bare-root peonies, we’ll include full planting and pruning instructions with your order.

Supply limited—order early to avoid disappointment! Late Spring to Early Summer blooms. Zones 3-8.

Itoh vs. Intersectional

‘Itoh’ refers to the Japanese hybridizer Dr. Toichi Itoh, who during and after World War II made thousands of attempts to cross garden and tree peonies. His goal was to breed the perfect yellow peony. He finally succeeded in 1948 but did not live to see his seedlings bloom. In 1968 his widow gave an American breeder permission to introduce Itoh peonies to the West, where hybridizers took up the torch.