The Difference Between Peony Lactiflora & Herbaceous
- It is a misconception to think lactiflora and herbaceous refer to two different types of peonies. There are only two basic types of peonies, according to the Ohio State University Extension website: The garden peony and the tree peony. There are, however, modern crosses between garden and tree peonies.
- Every peony currently available is a descendant from ancient Chinese peony plants. The most common peony---the one most often seen in gardens around the world---is the garden peony. It grows in clumps of up to about 4 feet tall and showcases blooms from between 2 to 10 inches across. Tree peonies, on the other hand, are actually slow-growing shrubs that can reach over 6 feet in height. Tree peony flowers are generally larger than those sported by garden peonies, and they grow in a wider range of colors.
- Lactiflora, or Paeonia lactiflora, is the Latin name for garden peonies, according to the Michigan State University Extension website. Herbaceous is just a botanical word meaning the peony dies back to the ground during cool weather.
- Tree peonies do not die back to the ground, so they are not herbaceous. Therefore, when speaking of peonies, herbaceous refers only to garden peonies, or Paeonia lactiflora.
- Some examples of herbaceous lactiflora peonies are Paeonia yellow crown, Paeonia best man, Paeonia bowl of beauty, Cora Stubbs, and Eden's perfume. A few examples of tree peonies include Rou Fu Rong, yellow river, black dragon, and cup of shining night.
- A new hybrid is the intersectional peony, which---according to the website sunset.com---is a cross between a garden peony and a tree peony. The American Peony Society website says intersectional peonies have the slightly pointed leaves and some of the woody characteristics of tree peonies, but they die to the ground in winter like garden peonies.