Paeonia, Peony - Festiva Maxima

DESCRIPTION: An heirloom variety with large, globular double white blooms streaked with red at the center; a dependable, fragrant and vigorous plant; strong stems but staking required

BOTANICAL NAME: Paeonia lactiflora 'Festiva Maxima'
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 100 cm
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 100 cm
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun to partial shade
FLOWER COLOUR: Snowy white flecked with red
FLOWERING TIME: Late spring
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Burgundy to green
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 2 ( Should survive up to -42.7° Celsius )
WATER NEEDS: Average
OTHER FEATURES: Border, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Rabbit Resistant

Ornamental Features

Festiva Maxima Peony features bold lightly-scented white flowers with crimson streaks at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its compound leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning green in colour throughout the season. 

Landscape Attributes

Festiva Maxima Peony is an 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. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Festiva Maxima Peony is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Festiva Maxima Peony will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet 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.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. 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.