Paeonia suffruticosa 'Kinshi'

Kinshi Tree Peony

‘Kinshi,’ also sold as ‘Golden Bird,’ is a deciduous woody tree peony shrub known for huge lemon-yellow to golden-yellow semi-double blooms with ruffled petals and showy yellow stamens. The flowers are fragrant, outward-facing, and can be very large—often listed around 10 inches across. Deeply cut green foliage gives the plant a refined, shrub-like form after bloom, with leaves dropping in fall while the woody stems remain.

Type: Deciduous flowering shrub / tree peony
Mature Size: 3–5 ft. wide × 3–5 ft. tall; some sources list up to about 4–5 ft. tall for ‘Kinshi’ specifically.
USDA Zones: 4a–8b
Form: Upright, rounded, woody-stemmed shrub
Light: Full sun to part shade; morning sun or dappled afternoon shade is best in hot sites
Soil / Water: Rich, fertile, well-drained soil; average moisture, avoid wet or poorly drained areas
Bloom Time / Length: Late spring, often late May into June; bloom period is usually short but very showy
Wildlife: Attracts bees and other early-season flower visitors; deer resistant once established, though young buds may still be browsed in some areas

Features & Landscape Uses:
Excellent as a specimen shrub, near an entry, in a mixed border, cottage garden, Asian-inspired garden, or collector peony planting. The large yellow flowers are the main feature and are especially striking because true yellow tones are less common among traditional tree peonies. Plant where it can stay undisturbed, because tree peonies are long-lived and dislike frequent moving.

Care:
Plant with the graft union several inches below the soil surface if grafted. Mulch lightly, but keep mulch away from the woody crown. Remove spent flowers after bloom and prune only to remove dead, damaged, or crossing wood. Avoid cutting it to the ground; unlike herbaceous peonies, tree peonies keep woody stems through winter. Provide winter wind protection in exposed sites.

Plant type

Flowering Deciduous Shrub

Height

3-5'

Width

3-5'

Hardiness zones

4–8

Sunlight

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Bloom time

Late Spring

Flower color

Yellow

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Attracts

Bees, Butterflies

Soil

Moist well-drained, Rich

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Corner Accent

Shape

Rounded, Upright

Fruit

Yes

Fragrant

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No