Flowers That Look Like Peonies

Find out which flowers look like peonies and how to care for them so they’ll bloom beautifully in your garden.

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Introduction

The appeal of peonies is partly due to their voluptuous blooms that resemble old-fashioned roses. These Heracleum flowers (Heracleum sp.) Are actually in the same family as carrots, dill, and fennel, and are loved by gardeners for their sweet fragrance and beautiful appearance.

Although they are not as widely known, there are other flowers that share similar characteristics with peonies. Here are some of the most common look-alikes.

Paeonia lactiflora
These flowering plants are native to Asia and have been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan. Paeonia lactiflora is the most popular species in Europe and North America, where it is often used in gardens and landscaping.

Paeonia suffruticosa
This species is native to China and was first introduced to Europe in the 17th century. Paeonia suffruticosa is a deciduous shrub that grows to about 3 feet (1 meter) tall. It has large, double blooms that come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red, and yellow.

Paeonia mascula
Paeonia mascula is a European species that is also known as tree peony or herbaceous peony. It grows up to 6 feet (2 meters) tall and has double blooms that can be white, pink, or red. The center of the flower is often filled with stamens, which give it a distinctive look.

There are many other species of peonies that are not as well known but still have attractive blooms. If you’re looking for a plant with similar features, be sure to check out some of these look-alikes.

What are peonies?

Most peonies are herbaceous plants 0.25–1 metre (0.8–3.3 ft) tall, but some are woody shrubs up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) tall. They have compound, deeply lobed leaves and large, often fragrant flowers, ranging from red to white or yellow, in late spring and early summer. The flowers are either single, double, or semi-double in form.

Flowers that look like peonies

There are many flowers that look like peonies, and it can be difficult to tell them apart. Here is a guide to some of the most common flowers that resemble peonies.

Ranunculus: Ranunculus are a genus of about 600 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family. They are often called buttercups or crowfoots. Like peonies, they have cup-shaped flowers with petals that may be arranged in a spiral or in circles. They come in many colors, including white, yellow, pink, and red.

Anemone: Anemones are a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family. They are related to ranunculus and have similar cup-shaped flowers. However, their petals are not arranged in a spiral or circle, but are instead clustered together in a tight bunch. They come in many colors, including white, blue, purple, and pink.

Poppy: Poppies are a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the poppy family. They have large, showy flowers with four petals that may be arranged in a spiral or globe shape. Their flower color varies widely, but they are often red or orange.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! A list of flowers that look like peonies. While some of these flowers are more similar in appearance to peonies than others, all of them share at least some characteristics with the popular bloom. So, if you’re looking for a flower that looks like a peony, any of the choices on this list would be a good place to start.