13 Glowy Flowers That Look Like Peonies

Peonies are beautiful flowers that fill the environment with their catchy and refreshing fragrance. However, their bloom time is very short from from spring to mid-June. But do not worry, as you can fill their place with flowers that look like peonies. 

This article explores 13 look-alikes of peonies along with their classification, features, and visuals. Delve into the exploration of various flowers that mimic peonies with their luxurious blooms and mesmerizing scents. Growing them anywhere can fill your garden or house with the most refreshing essence. Let’s see how similar these flowers are to peonies.

What Are the Flowers That Look Like Peonies

If you want to fill your garden with the aesthetic charm of peonies throughout the year, use its doppelganger flowers. From bold dahlias to luxurious hydrangeas, all the flowers below are amazing as peony replacements. Here are the complete details:

1. Persian Buttercup

The common name of the Persian buttercup is Turban Buttercup, whereas its botanic name is Ranunculus asiaticus. They resemble peonies due to the ruffled shape of their petals. Their soil requirements consist of well-drained soil either sandy or loamy. The Persian buttercup flower has a slight peony shape and cupped, ruffled petals that are rounded and sweet.

It is native to southeastern Asia and southeastern Europe. These flowers bloom longer than peonies and are good companions for ponies. These peonies can quickly grow like flowers with a large head of about 5 inches, finely cut leaves, and long stems. There is a variety of colors found in this Persian buttercup flower, like purple, white, red, orange, and green.

2. Camellias 

Japanese camellia is the common name for Camellias, and Camellia Japonica is its botanical name. Camellias resemble peonies due to their full and double blooms. They require well-drained acidic soil for their optimal growth.

Camellia is a flowering plant that resembles peonies with full and double blooms. Various camellia flowers; some look like peonies, while others don’t. This beautiful flowering plant originated in Japan and is native to eastern Asia. Camellias are challenging to grow. They do not need much care like peonies but are demanding and delicate. They prefer to bloom in full sun with a partial to full shady area. 

3. Poppy Anemones

Poppy Anemone is known commonly as windflower and botanically as Anemone Coronaria. Their better growth needs well-drained moist loamy soil. This flowering plant also resembles peonies but the shapes of its petals are oval and elongated.

Poppy anemones are flowers that look like small peonies. They have rounded petals like single peonies. This beautiful flower is native to the Mediterranean region. Poppy anemones start blooming earlier than peonies and stay for weeks. Their centers are black; some have lime green and gold with white petals like a bride. This delicate asset flower is a perfect garden addition and easy to grow. 

4. ‘Pink Peony’ Opium Poppy

They are commonly known as Paeonia Roselette, whereas, botanically Paeonia lactiflora Roselette. They require slightly acidic well-drained soil for optimal growth. This flower belongs to the pink flowers that look like peonies because it seem real. It has round and full bloom with pinkish petals that are broad outside and ruffled inside. 

This plant thrives in full sun or partial shade. It is a herbaceous perennial peony well known for its early flower blooms. This flower reaches up to 5 inches and blooms only in summer. It is native to North America and Europe. The green foliage with a heart-shaped structure looks attractive and so beautiful. 

5. Dahlias

Dahlias are commonly known as Cactus dahlias, Anemone dahlias, Mignon Dahlias. Their botanical name is Dahlia pinnata. They require average fertile and well-drained soil for vigorous growth. Peonies and dahlias are similar flowers, especially regarding their collarette and double varieties.

Its somewhat irregular petals and globular bloom give such a romantic feeling and essence that everyone wants. The petals of the flowers are narrow with softer stems, and they bloom very late at the end of the season. Dahlias are specifically native to Central America and Mexico.

6. Begonias

The common names for Begonias are Cocktail Rum, Olympia Red, Victory Rose, and the botanical name is Begonia. Well-drained and fertile soil is required for their voluminous growth. Begonias are large flowers having some varieties with irregularly arranged petals, like many peonies.

It starts blooming after the blooming season of peonies, which means they bloom for a longer time. There are a lot of colors that you can see in this flowering plant, like red, pink, yellow, and orange. Begonias are native to subtropical and tropical regions. It is a perfect flower for growing and hanging on the house’s entrance. 

7. Carnations 

Carnations are commonly known as Clove pink or grenadine, and botanically as Dianthus Caryophyllus. They prefer to grow in well-drained soil. With beautiful but ruffled petals, the carnation flowering plant has peony-lookalike flowers.

It has a variety of color schemes in flowers that start from white and end with purple. These carnation flowers are easy to grow but challenging and healthy perennials that give a similar look and feel to peonies with warm colors. Carnation is native to Mediterranean areas. These flowers bloom in the summer and end at the end of summer.

8. Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are commonly known as bigleaf hydrangea, and botanically as Hydrangea macrophylla. Moist, well-drained soil is necessary for the nurtured growth of Hydrangeas. These flowers mimic peonies with their round blooms.

Hydrangeas impress everyone with their rounded, plump heads, which come in various colors, including blue, pink, purple, and many more. They look stunning with soft green leafy stems. This flowering plant is native to America and Asia. The flowers bloom from mid-spring to late summer so that you can enjoy their blooming time longer. 

9. Lisianthus 

These flowers are commonly known as prairie gentian, and botanically as Eustoma russellianum. Moist and well-drained soil is their basic requirement. Lisianthus is a plant that has been available for almost a whole year, but specifically after the blooming time of peonies.

The flowers start blooming in summer. Lisianthus flowers have ruffled and multilayered petals, peonies flowers that look like roses. Lisianthus flowers have various colors, like yellow, purple, pink, and white. This plant is native to fields and prairies from northern Mexico north to Nebraska and Colorado.

10. Julia Child Rose

The common name of the Julia Child rose is the Golden floribunda rose, and the botanical name is Rosa ‘Julia Child’. It thrives best in well-drained soil. Julia Child rose is a fabulous rose that resembles peonies. The flower has 35 ruffled petals and a catchy clove-like scent.

This plant’s blooming time starts in late spring and continues throughout the summer. It is well-known for its elegant shape and sweet smell. The minimal trim shape makes the plant bloom more if the past flowers fade or fall. Julia Child Rose is a hybrid but its breeding program started in North America.

11. Hortensia

Hortensias are commonly known as French Hydrangea, whereas their botanic name is Hydrangea macrophylla. These flowers prefer well-drained soil for their vigorous growth. Hortensia is a flowering plant belonging to the genus of the seventy-five flowering plants that specifically thrive in shrubs, lianas, and small trees.

The flowers of hortensia bloom from early spring to late summer, which makes these flowers at hand peonies for longer. This plant is native to Eastern Asia. These flowers have various color ranges, like blue, purple, pink, and white. 

12. Garden Roses

Rosa is the botanical name of garden roses. It requires well-drained, slightly acidic fertile soil for its voluminous growth. These flowers have rounded full flowers, having full or double blooms, which is why they are look-alikes of peonies.

The bloom time of garden roses starts in late spring and remains till early summer. These flowers demand more care than peonies. They share the same strong and pleasant scent just like peonies. Garden roses come in various colors including red, yellow, pink, white, orange, and others. The plant height of garden roses grows up to 6 feet tall. Garden roses have a rich heritage but mostly originated in Europe and Asia.

13. Double Tulips

The botanical name of Double tulips is Tulipa. They require sandy or loamy, well-drained soil for their optimal growth. Their double flowers and full petals make them resemble peonies. Double tulips start to bloom in mid to late spring.

These flowers came in a wide variety of colors including red, pink yellow, etc. They have a very faint but captivating fragrance, their plant size may vary but is about 12 to 28 inches tall. Although they are a hybrid variety of flowers, wild tulips are native to Central Asia.

Conclusion

If you were searching for beautiful flowers as a replacement for peonies to add to your garden, read this article. This blog guide explores 13 substitute flowers that look like peonies but aren’t. In addition, their characteristics, features, and stunning visuals are also included. Explore this guide to choose and grow peony look-alikes in your garden to make it look attractive and colorful. Ensure that the environment and climate are provided for the flowers they require to make their growth powerful and efficient. 

FAQs

1. Is There Any Rose That Resembles with Peony?

The Piano Roses are the best peony substitute. They look like peonies but are roses. Peonies’ heads are more prominent, but piano roses have smaller heads with rounded buds. They have the exact look of peonies, which seems fresh and appealing. 

2. Is Ranunculus Similar to The Peonies?

Yes, ranunculus is similar to peonies, but they are different. Ranunculus are smaller than peonies and have a flatter shape, making them slightly different. Like peonies, ranunculus has many layers, but the space in the petals is clearly defined. 

3. Which Is the Flower That Looks Like Peonies but Is Not?

People often mistake ranunculus flowers for peonies, but they are smaller than peonies. The structure of ranunculus is tightly packed, and it has a similar shape and texture to peonies, making people mistake it for peonies. The identical colors of ranunculus also contribute to this misunderstanding. 

4. What Are the Best Replacements for The Peonies?

Golden roses are the best replacement for peonies because of their shape and texture, similar to peonies. Like the English roses, golden roses have spherical petal arrangements, making them an ideal swap for the peonies. 

5. What Do Peonies Symbolize?

Generally, peonies symbolize romance, happiness, love, honor, beauty, and wealth. People give peonies to their loved ones on special occasions to wish them good luck, goodwill, and joy.