My husband's grandmother planted this beautiful peony plant (Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield') a good 50 years ago in our back garden. It is absolutly astonishing to me that it still blooms every spring, displaying it's beautiful dark pink to cherry-red, fragrant blossoms....
Peony plants are perennials, which means that they come back every spring. The plants may live longer than you do—some have been known to thrive for more than a 100 years.
They are one of Mother Natures loveliest oxymorons: delicate looking but tough as nails, surviving decades with little maintanence required.
The peony flower is very pest resistant and it has a natural alliance with ants that eat potential threatning bugs in exchange for peony's nectar. Do not be tempted to spray the ants!!!!!
Peonies make for an excellent garden bush, so concider planting one and enjoy it's beauty for life!