Rare peonies to the dedicated gardener who loves them are like rare wines to the connoisseur or rare postage stamps to the philatelist. Always sought after and immeasurably appreciated when such a beauty is obtained. Some of the rare Chinese peonies are no longer available in the wild due to harvesting for medicinal use over the years. One example would be the Ostii Tree Peony.

Botanists are still reclassifying peonies within forms of species, with it being unlikely the task will ever be completed. Classification is never done without considerable study and discussion in any area of the plant kingdom. Rare peonies are sometimes rare in their color form, a White Chinese Woodland Peony being considered more rare than its pink form, for example.

Nurseries within the United States have been able to import rare peonies and grow stock here. A white semi-double Japanese Tree Peony like the Horen is considered beautiful and rare with its purple red flares at the base of each petal. Many Japanese Tree Peonies have enormous flowers that are 10" across, including the less rare but giant Shimano-Fuji and the Shintenchi. The more uncommon peonies can sometimes be obtained through membership in a peony society, of which there are national and regional organizations.

Rare Peonies of the Paeonia Lutea Hybrids

The first Paeonia lutea hybrids, grown by French botanists, had stems too weak to hold up truly yellow, very heavy double flowers. Professor A. P. Saunders of New York was able to correct that problem with multiple crosses. The Coronal and the Mystery are very rare and expensive lutea hybrids that Saunders developed. However, price is not the only indicator of availability, since the age of the peony plant will greatly increase its value.