Mine is fragrant, but mine is at least 60 years old, having been planted by my grandfather in the 50's. I don't know if there have been changes since then in what is marketed as Festive Maxima.

This is what White Flower Farm has to say about P. Festiva Maxima:

"Large, pure white, fragrant blooms with occasional flecks of crimson at the base of the center petals have made this variety a great Peony for generations and our largest seller for many years."

I have lots of peonies in my garden beds, including FM but have never checked to see whether it's fragrant or not. Most all of mine are so I assume it is as well but it's growing in the center of a slightly large bed that I tend not to disturb by walking through it.

It should be very fragrant.

Sometimes temperatures and humidity affect fragrances. I'm not sure, but maybe it could also develop fragrance as the plant ages. It just might be too young if you just planted it.

I would really try to verify if in fact the plant you have is Festiva.

Kevin

That is unusual - Festiva Maxima is definitely fragrant. Kevin is right though -- temp and humidity do affect fragrances.

There have also been discussions about different folks have varying sensitivities to scents. Have you had the opportunity to smell a confirmed Festiva Maxima so that you know you are able to detect the scent?

scent on all types of plants.. vary year to year ..

e.g. ..... after this horrible winter.. i have a low lilac flower production .. but the the flowers it has are stinkin up the joint big time ... lol ..

temps also matter ... on a coldish day ... little scent might be noticed ... but on a warmer day ... it can be blinding ... and humidity in the air really makes it blast off ...

and also .. subject to temps... flowers can fail faster some years.. as compared to others ... in other words.. if the flower opens in a heat wave.. it seems like a day or two later.. it already is developing that rot smell ... but in a very cool spring.. they can last a week or two ...

so.. there are so many variables.. in any given season.. that .. presuming it is the variety named ... aroma will vary ...

ken

Not sure if you have the same problem I have... Peonies don't smell much to me and hardly as good as people say they should. My mom grows a lot of them and swoons over the fragrance. Standing in the same garden , next to her, I can't smell it wafting and have to smell the bloom itself. And that isn't even a great smell to me! It's very weird , because I love her lilacs , roses all smell great, gardenia , heliotrope ... I love all of those. But peonies , just don't smell much .