Peonies are well known for luring ants, which crawl all over the flowers and feast on the sticky sugars they release. Whether they are outside or on someone’s dining room table, the ants leave once the blossom has fully opened and the sucrose has been digested. People who have had ants march across their dinner table and depart their centerpiece frequently have a negative opinion of peonies as cut flowers.
However, there is a straightforward fix for the ant issue, and every professional peony grower uses it: Before the petals open, cut the peonies when they are in bud. Shake or wipe off any ants that may be present on the buds. The peony should then be placed in water to begin blooming indoors.
The only tricky part is figuring out when the bud is mature enough to be cut open from the inside. The bud is at its softest and most colorful when it is at this stage. When clipped, the bud on a giant double peony like Sarah Bernhardt can measure around 1.5 inches in diameter; two days later, it will have grown to its full size.
Cut peonies can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks if they are at the marshmallow stage. The peony can be stored in the refrigerator’s back section after being gently wrapped in plastic with the clipped stem ends showing. (Warning: Adding apples, cantaloupes, or other ethylene-producing fruits will reduce the flowers’ vase life.) The flowers can be burrito-style wrapped in newspaper and put in an opaque plastic container in a fridge for the commercial grower. They will hold at 35 for a month or longer. Cut an inch from the stem when you are ready to use it, and then immerse it in warm, deep water. The length of time it takes for the bloom to fully open can range from eight to 48 hours, depending on how tightly closed the bud was when it was cut.
Your peony won’t have ants if you handle them this way. Additionally, they’ll be the most exquisite, lavish, and aromatic cut flowers imaginable.
Pink “Sarah Bernhardt” peonies are complemented in the image above by fuschia Dianthus “Purple Bouquet” and deep purple Campanula glomerata. On Friday morning, the peonies were placed in water after being cut in bud and kept in the cooler for a week. Sunday morning was when this picture was taken.
Published: May 29, 2018
The “king of all flowers,” peonies, are currently giving Missouri a breathtaking display of blossom color. However, ants also appear as the peony plants begin to bloom. Ants on buds and blossoms can be a pain, but they don’t hurt anything (Figure 1). Ants leave peony flowers after bloom is through and go on to seek out another food source.
It is untrue that ants are necessary for peonies to bloom. Peonies and ants have a mutualistic relationship in which both of their activities are beneficial to the other species of organisms. Ants eat the nectar from peony blooms, and in return, the ants defend the flowers from other insects that consume flowers.
It is possible to find extrafloral nectaries outside of peony flower buds. These plant organs exude nectar, which serves as an ant food supply since it contains sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose), amino acids, lipids, and other organic substances. A scout ant leaves a pheromone or odor trail on her journey back to her colony after finding nectar on a peony. The scout informs other ants at the nest of the food supply. The recruited ants then return to the nectar-filled peony blossoms by following the olfactory trail.
The ants guard their food supply from other insects that come to dine on the flower buds while they are consuming the nectar. The odor trail is reinforced when each ant consumes peony nectar, continuing until all of the food has been consumed. This kind of insect behavior is an effective way for them to make use of a transient food source.
An insecticide need not be used because the presence of ants on the floral tissues of peonies is only transient. Holding the peonies upside down by the stem immediately below the flower, shake the ants off outside or gently rinse them off before arranging them when cutting peonies at full bloom for indoor use. Cut plant stems while flower buds are in the “marshmallow stage” to assure ant eradication, and wash any ants off with water before bringing them inside (Figure 2). Flower buds are currently closed but displaying some color. Squeezing flower buds between the forefinger and thumb will also feel velvety. When marshmallow-stage buds are taken indoors, full bloom usually happens within 8 to 48 hours of putting the stems in water. Cut stems containing flower buds can also be refrigerated for subsequent bloom production.
Thrips, a common insect that feeds on peony blooms, are not like ants. These tiny (1 to 2 mm long), thin insects use their mouthparts to penetrate flower petals and draw liquids from the plant tissues, resulting in flowers that are discolored or have blemishes. Heavy infestations that obliterate peony flowers are quite uncommon. See the most recent IPM article, “Plant Peonies in September,” for more details on cultivating peonies.
Luckily, when it comes to ants and peonies, no removal is necessary.
In the plant kingdom, the relationship between peony and ants is an example of mutualism, where both sides gain from the union.
The ants may get the carbohydrates, amino acids, and other ingredients they require from the peony as food.
In exchange, the ants defend the plant against other pests that might truly do harm. The ants leave a route back to their nest for other ants in the colony to follow after they find the nectar. Until all the honey has been consumed, every ant in the colony guards this trail against prospective invaders, keeping other hazardous insects away from the plant.
Ants are only transiently present on peony. They will trot off to find another food source once they have drained the plant of all nectar or when the plant stops blooming.
Insecticidal is not required because they are not toxic and only stay on the flowers for a brief period of time. Additionally, it will harm the harmonious coexistence of these two plants, one of nature’s greatest miracles.
Why are my peonies covered in ants?
Peonies that are just beginning to bloom release nectar that ants use as food. When ants find this food source in your flowerbed, they will climb up the stem, eat everything there is to eat, and then eventually move on to another plant.
Denise Fasanello, a florist, adds that there is absolutely no harm done to these lovely perennials if there is an ant infestation. She describes the insects as “not like flies or specific kids of aphids that you need to spray to eradicate.” If you observe them in your garden, they won’t harm your plants in any way.
Fasanello also refers to the widespread misconception that ants are necessary for peonies to bloom. Peonies have a somewhat sap-like coating, and it has long been believed that the ants are necessary for the peonies in the garden to open by eating the sap. But regardless of whether an ant is eating or sucking the sap off, they will still open.
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How can I prevent insects from consuming my peonies?
In the spring, when peonies are in full flower, adult hoplia beetles bite holes in the blossoms. These bugs target light-colored flowers and stay away from darker ones. Affected flowers have a ragged appearance due to their small, round holes. These quarter-inch long insects have bright green bodies and brown heads. Hoplia beetles can be manually removed off flowers and drowned in a dish detergent and water solution to reduce small populations. Malathion or carbaryl applications used repeatedly will eliminate these pests, while additional beetles might develop after each application.
How are peony cared for outside?
These enormous plants, which bloom lavishly in May and June, are a must-have for every garden. Herbaceous peonies are true perennials that can live for about fifty years and are more stunning with age. Peonies are simple to grow and will provide you with armfuls of cut flowers as well as a magnificent landscape display. They are excellent specimen plants, get along well with other perennials in the yard, and work well as path or driveway borders. There are kinds that bloom early, mid, and late and some of them have scented blooms to lengthen the flowering season. Zones 3 to 8 are suitable for growing peonies; in the South, Alabama is where they will bloom, but Zone 8’s cooler regions seem to be their limit. For the best results, southern gardeners should select early-flowering singles.
Light/Watering: Herbaceous peonies should be grown in full sun, with the exception of the hottest regions of the West and the South, where afternoon shadow is preferred and will prolong the life of the blossoms on the plant. It is advised to give plants an inch of water per week during the growing season.
pH and Fertilizer: An organically rich, well-drained soil is ideal. Add a few handfuls of calcitic lime while planting if your soil is quite acidic. In the North, place the roots with the eyes (the pink or white buds at the top of the roots) pointing up, while in the South, place the roots with the eyes pointing down. (Note: Plants may not blossom if the eyes are positioned deeper than is suggested. Mulch should not be applied over the crowns due to this.) It’s normal for plants to take a few years to establish themselves and blossom profusely, so don’t be startled if there are few or no flowers the first spring after planting. No extra fertilizing is required; peonies react nicely to an annual sidedressing of one inch of aged manure or compost. To stop their blossoms from falling into the dirt after a thunderstorm, many Peonies, especially the double-flowered kinds, must be staked. As soon as fresh growth starts to appear in the early spring, install the supports.
Pests and diseases: Herbaceous peonies are rarely bothered by insect pests, but a fungus called botrytis can be a concern, particularly during extremely rainy seasons. Peony stems either wilt or fall over as a result of developing cankers, becoming black at the base, or both. The leaves may have patches of black or brown color, and the buds may turn brown and not open. These issues can be avoided or resolved in the garden with proper culture and cleanliness. Don’t crowd the plants because they require proper drainage and air circulation. At the first sign of disease, remove any infected foliage. Deadhead regularly, removing all flower parts and petals from the garden. After a deadly frost in the fall, remove all foliage that is just below the soil and remove it together with any other debris from the area; do not compost. Add a thin layer of sand around the plants and crowns if botrytis was present in the spring before, and then spray newly developing shoots with Bordeaux mix or lime sulfur as directed on the label. Fungal spores overwinter at the base of the plants, where they are then sprayed onto the young shoots by spring rains. Sand-covering the soil and clearing away any waste and outdated vegetation can help avoid reinfection.
There may also be phytophthora, a different blight that is difficult to distinguish from other blights. If you think your plant may have phytophthora, bring a sample to your local USDA Cooperative Extension Service agent or a specialist. Because this disease usually kills the plant, affected plants should be dug up, killed, and the soil restored before new plants are planted.
In the summer, powdery mildew can affect peonies. Despite covering the leaves in varied degrees, the white, powdery mildew fungus appears to have little impact on the plant’s vitality. By planting in full sun and ensuring enough airflow around the plants, this can be prevented or at least lessened.
Peonies are attractive with many other perennials and bloom with roses and clematis; just make sure to provide space around the plants for air circulation. Peonies with white flowers are captivating against an evergreen backdrop. The scarlet stems of developing Herbaceous Peonies are beautifully contrasted with spring-flowering bulbs like Crocus vernus or Scilla siberica.
Reflowering: Deadheading is helpful since many kinds produce a number of side buds that will blossom after the terminal bloom flowers. Cut the stem beneath the previous bloom when each flower has completed blooming, but leave the foliage uncut. Remove the side buds as they form and just leave the terminal bud if you want flowers that are exhibition-size.
Generally speaking, Herbaceous Peonies do not require division, and some people dislike it. However, before replanting an established plant, you must divide it if you must transfer it. Do this in the fall, after the foliage has totally withered away. The young plants typically take a few years to flower, and each division ought to have three to five eyes.
End-of-Season Care: To prevent pests from overwintering, Herbaceous Peonies’ foliage should be pruned back in the fall and removed from the area. After the ground freezes, mulch new plants with salt marsh hay or evergreen boughs.
If spring rains don’t do it for you, water crops thoroughly in the early spring. Apply aged manure or compost on the sides of plants. If there was botrytis blight the season before, spray young shoots with Bordeaux mix or lime sulphur and cover the ground around the plant with a thin (quarter-inch) layer of sand. Place stakes or other supports right away.
Mid-Spring: Keep an eye out for botrytis blight symptoms and treat accordingly, removing any affected tissue as away. Train while plants are growing through plant supports. If you want flowers that are exhibition-size, remove the side buds.
Late Spring: Deadhead peonies diligently, cleaning the garden of any petals or blossoms that have fallen.
Fall: Trim Herbaceous Peony stems to the soil’s surface and remove them from the area. If required, dig and divide plants right away. After the ground freezes, mulch newly planted areas with evergreen boughs or salt marsh hay.