Perennials
Paeonia 'Scarlet Heaven' (Itoh hybrid)
Scarlet Heaven Itoh peony
Scarlet Heaven displays bright crimson-red flowers around a conspicuous golden center, held above a compact mound of finely divided foliage. The leaves are dark green in summer with bronze-red seasonal tints. This intersectional peony offers the visual richness associated with tree-peony ancestry, but its garden habit is that of an herbaceous perennial. Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Size at stated age
- 0.5–1 m over 2–5 years tall × 0.5–1 m wide
- Water
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Hardiness
- RHS H6 (UK rating; not a USDA zone)
- Bloom
- Crimson-red with yellow stamens, late spring to early summer
Sizes & prices
- #2$79.99
Catalog updated September 8, 2026. This is not a live stock count; please call to confirm availability and price.
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Landscape use & growth habit
- Use
- Perennial border; cut flowers; ornamental specimen
- Form
- Herbaceous mound; stems die back seasonally
- Growth rate
- Vigorous seasonal growth from an herbaceous crown.
- Fruit / litter
- Deadhead faded blooms and remove the foliage when it dies back in autumn.
- Major issues
- Peony guidance: watch for peony blotch and wilt; remove affected material and avoid poorly drained soil.
Resistance & tolerances
- Deer
- Usually avoided by deer, although flower buds may be eaten.
- Drought
- Dry-weather care: Moist, well-drained soil. Maintain the recommended moisture during extended dry spells; no cultivar-specific drought rating confirmed.
- Wet soil
- Good drainage is essential; waterlogging can rot the crown.
Resistance is not a guarantee; deer and rabbits may browse any plant.
Seasonal interest
- Foliage
- Dark green; bronze-red tints in spring and autumn; herbaceous
Growing & care
- Pruning
- Remove spent blooms; cut down dead herbaceous stems in autumn, preserving the crown.
Sources & photo credits
Photo: James Steakley / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Image notes: Scarlet Heaven Itoh peony in bloom. Photo by James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0; resized and converted to WebP.
Reviewed September 22, 2026. Growing conditions vary by location.