There are peonies in Chinese garden, The Huntington library. San Marino, Southern California.

Tree peonies and Itoh peonies ,which can grow in zone 9, are more suitable for Southern California than regular peonies. Regular peonies are recommended only for zone 3-8.

There are some very fragrant tree peonies, you can try. Such as 'Fragrant Jade'.

The following link may be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Peonies in USDA Zones 8 and 9

Thank you Littlebin! Any idea where to get this Fragrant Jade tree?

It is "Xiang Yu " (Chinese name) in treepeonygarden.com
"Fragrant Jade" on treepeony.com
"Xiang Yu" on 4peonies.com.
You can also find on ebay or Chinese plant website

The following is the link from 4peonies.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Xiang Yu ( Fragrant Jade)

The following link is an old post in this forum who grew "Xiang yu (fragrant Jade)" in southern California.

Hope it helpful to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: SoCal tree peonies blooming

Thank you so much littlebin!!

From the lack of response I must assume no one in my zone is successful at growing peonies. That's so sad.

Oh well I will push forward anyway and experiment myself. With my brown thumb who knows what will happen. LOL I will report my results later.

I don't think you're crazy to want to try. You will probably have to experiment quite a bit to get the right variety and planting conditions but I'd try too if I were you. Successfully growing peonies in zone 9 would make for a great blog,too! I'd read it. I don't think I've seen one from anyone above zone 7 or 8. Your experiments would be educational and of interest to a broad spectrum of garden ears, not just those in warmer zones.

Hi there, sorry to be late to respond. I lived in Southern California for a while after living in the Mid-Atlantic and I missed my peonies dreadfully. I planted several very old fashioned ones in a raised bed that got afternoon shade. Three bloomed and Festiva Maxima bloomed the best. I watered them in the summer and into September, which often was terribly hot. Starting in October, whenever my husband made me a gin and tonic, I would pour the leftover ice cubes onto the (cut back) peonies. I don't know if it made a difference or not. ;-) I lived east of Pasadena, south of the 210 freeway in USDA zone 8.

Good luck! Everyone discouraged me, but I had lovely blooms, with plenty to cut for the house.

Hi Larecoltante,

Thank you for your encouragement! I will definitely look for Festiva Maxima. Worth a try right?

Now I have to go find where to buy this Festiva Maxima!

Thanks again!
Lynn