‘Rozella’ Peony: a Favorite for the Garden or the Vase
Award-winning ‘Rozella’ peony offers bright pink flowers on very strong stems that help it stand up to any weather even without staking
'Rozella' stands out (literally) among peonies because of its extremely strong stems. This hybrid herbaceous peony is lauded among peony experts for its ability to withstand wind and rain. One of the last peonies to bloom, 'Rozella' offers vivid pink, double-petal flowers in late spring, producing plenty to both cut for arrangements and to leave standing in the garden.
'Rozella' earned the American Peony Society's Award for Landscape Merit in 2009. This award recognizes peonies that have an excellent growth habit in the garden. 'Rozella' received the American Peony Society's Gold Medal in 2026. This accolade goes to peonies that produce outstanding flowers for use in bouquets.
Common name: 'Rozella' peony
Botanical name: Paeonia 'Rozella'
Origin: 'Rozella' is a herbaceous hybrid peony bred by peony breeder and nurseryman Dr. David Reath in Michigan.
Flowers: Bright medium pink, double-petaled flowers appear in late spring. There is faint to no fragrance, but the flowers occur in great numbers.
Foliage: Dark green, disease-free leaves densely cover the stems right up to the base of the flowers.
Size and habit: This is an herbaceous hybrid peony with an upright shape maintained by its strong, thick, upright stems. It stands just under three feet tall and about two feet wide.
Growing 'Rozella' peony
Exposure: Full to part sun
How to grow it: Peonies are long-lived plants that can provide decades of enjoyment, but it takes them a few seasons to hit their full stride, so have patience with newly added plants.
The best time to plant peonies is late summer to fall, when nurseries offer them as bare-root divisions.
Peonies grow and bloom best in rich, light, well-drained soil. They tolerate leaner soils but will develop more slowly there. Peonies benefit from topdressing with compost, which boosts both soil health and texture. They prefer moderate moisture but can tolerate some drought, though it may hasten foliage decline in late summer. Full sun promotes the heaviest flowering, but in hot-summer climates peonies benefit from a few hours of midday shade. USDA Zones 3–8.
'Rozella' peony has such strong stems that several growers report there's no need to stake it. In general, though, peonies benefit most from cage-type supports inserted before they put on much growth. Remove spent stems and foliage at the end of the growing season.
