The sorbet peony looks exactly the way you think it would, a piled high, fruit-flavored ice that's good enough to eat. The colors definitely lean toward the delectable category. Colors range from various shades of pink with yellow, to salmon-orange and yellow, to pink and cream.

The sorbet peony is a double peony. It has extra petals that look fluffy or ruffled and the scented blossoms last a long time, blooming in early summer in full sun or partial shade. This peony produces many flowers on plants that grow from 24" to sometimes 34" high.

Of many interesting things about peonies, one is that deer and often rabbits seem to find them distasteful. The sorbet peony is no exception to that. For those living in areas where hungry deer even come down into town, this is good news, although if deer are actually starving, they might overcome their reluctance to eat peonies. However, since the peony root can be toxic to humans if ingested improperly, perhaps Mother Nature has given deer and rabbits that innate knowledge, too, for their own protection.

Uses for Sorbet Peony

With its 5"-7" blooms and fragrance, this peony provides a breathtaking display in borders or along walkways. As a cut flower, it is absolutely stunning and makes a beautiful centerpiece in floral arrangements. It is a hardy plant that in some areas is shipped for planting in the spring. In the fall, its very handsome foliage turns reddish.