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Hillary Peony - Itoh 3-5 eyes
Hillary Peony - Itoh 3-5 eyes
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Hillary Itoh Peony – Creamy Reds, Two-Tone Magic, and Award-Winning Form
Large roots with 3-5 eyes ship mid November.
If you're only growing one Itoh peony for color impact, ‘Hillary’ should be on your shortlist. A standout in the garden and one of our personal favorites, this Itoh hybrid delivers massive, semi-double blooms in rich, creamy red to rose-pink shades, with dramatic merlot flares and a glowing yellow center that stays bold as the petals fade to a soft cream.
Some blooms even show a two-tone or picotee effect, adding even more depth and variation. It’s like Julia Rose, but with a stronger contrast and fuller bloom habit.
While slightly more disease-prone than some other Itohs, the color payoff and bloom power make it absolutely worth the grow. Plants reach 30 inches tall, with upright growth and semi-glossy foliage that holds its shape all season long. Mature plants are often blanketed with blooms by midseason.
Why Grow Hillary?
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Unique Color Shifts: Creamy red blooms fade to cream while retaining dark centers and rich flares
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Big, Semi-Double Blooms: Impressive size and texture with subtle fragrance
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Award-Winning: APS Award of Landscape Merit (2009)
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Compact and Bushy: Upright 30" growth with strong stems—no staking
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Midseason Bloomer: Bridges the gap beautifully between early and late peonies
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Personal Pick: A Fuirk Home favorite for bold color and form
Quick Facts:
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Botanical Name: Paeonia Itoh 'Hillary'
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Type: Itoh (Intersectional hybrid)
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Introduced: 1999 (Anderson)
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Bloom Form: Semi-double, large
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Color: Creamy red with merlot flares, fades to cream with contrast
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Fragrance: Light
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Height: ~30 inches
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Bloom Time: Midseason
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Award: APS Award of Landscape Merit (2009)
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Foliage: Upright, semi-glossy, full coverage when mature
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Ideal For: Collectors, designers, midseason color lovers
🌟 A must-grow for Itoh collectors and lovers of bold, evolving color.
Photo credit Groot & Groot
November Shipping
November Shipping
2025 Fall-Shipped Peonies: Orders are shipped in the order received, not by zone. Pre-orders will begin shipping in early-to-mid November 2025. PEONIES ARE COLD-HARDY PERENNIALS, and can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen solid. Remember- soil temperatures are not the same as air temperatures. Peonies need the winter chill. If you are concerned about the ground freezing before your bare root arrives, simply dig your holes and prep the site in advance.
Guarantee
Guarantee
We guarantee our plants are healthy, and true to variety. We are so confident that we offer a conditional warranty for the growing season.Click here to read the complete policy.
Grow & Care
Grow & Care
Peonies are long-lived plants that can thrive for a century or more. The root system of a peony is not only large, it's also quite different from that of most other perennials. Peonies have two types of roots. Fine, fibrous ones that absorb water and nutrients, and tuberous roots that are as thick your finger and very brittle. The thick ones are actually underground stems with “eyes” that sprout new shoots.
Planting:
Since some of a peony’s roots are actually underground stems, it’s important not to plant them too deeply. There should be no more than about an inch of soil covering the upper-most roots. If they are deeper than that, you will get a robust plant, but very few flowers.
During the first growing season, the soil will gradually settle around the newly-planted roots. Sometimes this results in the roots sitting deeper than intended. If this happens, gently lift the roots so they are at the correct level. If you decide to mulch the area, keep the root zone right under the plant bare. Dig hole at least twice the width of your roots to reduce soil compaction.
Care:
Once your peony plants mature, you can cut as many stems as you like. But during the first few years, it’s best to cut just few stems and let the plants retain as much of their foliage as possible. This will give them the maximum amount of energy to bulk up their root system.
When the plants finish blooming, use scissors or sharp pruning shears to cut off the dead blossoms. Try to do this before the seed pods form. Remove the flower as well as about 6” of the stem. This will allow the rest of the foliage to hide the cut stems.
