Peony Bowl Of Cream - Peony Bulbs

About Bowl of Cream Peony Bare Root

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Cream’
Breeder: Carl G. Klehm | Introduced: 1963 | Type: Herbaceous Peony | Hardiness: Zones 3–8

🤍 Nearly 10 inches of creamy-white petals—Bowl of Cream is one of those peonies that makes you wonder how one stem can possibly hold that much flower.

Bowl of Cream is a legendary American peony known for its enormous, fully double cream-white flowers. The blooms can reach an astonishing 9½ inches across, packed with layers upon layers of petals surrounding hidden golden stamens that can give the center a subtle warm glow.

Despite those massive flowers, Bowl of Cream grows into a relatively compact plant around 30–36 inches tall with strong stems and handsome deep-green foliage. It's spectacular in the garden—and even better when you cut a few stems and bring them inside.

🌸 Flower & Garden Details

Color: Glistening cream white
Bloom: Very large, fully double, rose-form flowers
Flower Size: Up to approximately 9½ inches
Fragrance: Light to pleasantly fragrant
Bloom Season: Midseason to early summer
Foliage: Lush, deep green
Habit: Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial
Size: Approximately 30–36 inches tall
Light: Full sun to light partial shade
Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–8
Best Uses: Cutting gardens, perennial borders, cottage gardens, mass plantings and specimen plants
Cut Flower: Exceptional

🤍 Yes, the Flowers Really Are That Big

The name Bowl of Cream is almost ridiculously accurate.

Its enormous flowers resemble bowls overflowing with whipped cream—dense, fluffy and beautifully layered. At up to 9½ inches across, a single bloom can practically make a bouquet on its own.

It was introduced by legendary American peony breeder Carl G. Klehm in 1963, and its combination of flower size, plant quality and garden performance eventually earned Bowl of Cream the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 1981.

More than 60 years after its introduction, it remains a beloved white peony—and it's easy to see why.

💛 Why Grace Rose Farm Loves It

Bowl of Cream is unapologetically extravagant.

We love plants that make people stop in the garden and ask, “What IS that?” This is absolutely one of them.

Those enormous cream-white blooms are spectacular beside roses, especially blush, pink, apricot and lavender varieties. And because peonies bloom before many roses reach their summer peak, they're a beautiful way to begin the cutting-garden season.

Plant it once, give it time to establish, and Bowl of Cream can become one of those treasured plants you look forward to every spring.

🌿 Growing & Care

Plant Bowl of Cream in full sun to light partial shade in rich, well-drained soil. Peonies are long-lived perennials and prefer to remain undisturbed once established.

Most importantly, don't plant peony roots too deeply. Position the eyes approximately 1–2 inches below the finished soil surface. Planting too deeply is one of the most common reasons peonies grow beautifully but fail to flower.

Peonies often spend their first season establishing roots, with flowering becoming increasingly impressive as the plant matures. Because Bowl of Cream produces exceptionally large flowers, providing discreet support before the buds become heavy can help keep those spectacular blooms upright.