The peony has the fattest, most delicious petals and rich green foliage, making it outrageously attractive when it is in bloom. From spring to summer, savor stunning floral displays. Learn how to care for, grow, and plant peony.
About Peonies
Peonies are a perennial that will steal your breath away every year. The plants may even outlive you—some have been reported to survive for at least a century.
When Is Peony Season? When Do Peonies Bloom?
Depending on your location and the kind you are planting, peonies bloom from late spring to early summer.
You may extend the peony season across several weeks and take use of those magnificent blossoms for as long as possible thanks to the abundance of nurseries that provide early, midseason, and late blooming types.
Peonies may thrive as far south as Zones 7 and 8, and they are hardy to Zone 3. The key to success in the majority of the United States is to provide full light and well-drained soil. Peonies even enjoy the winter’s coldness because it helps their buds grow.
Types of Peony Flowers
You can pick from six different varieties of peony flowers: anemone, single, Japanese, semi-double, double, and bomb. The odors of different plants also differ; some, like “Festiva Maxima” and “Duchesse de Nemours,” have seductive rose-like aromas, while others have a lemony scent or none at all.
Where to Plant Peonies
When planted as a low hedge or along sidewalks, peonies make excellent sentinels. As majestic and dignified as any flowering shrub, the peony’s bushy cluster of attractive glossy green leaves lasts all summer before turning purplish-red or gold in the fall.
Peonies work nicely with irises and roses in mixed borders and blossom alongside columbines, baptisias, and veronicas. Plant pink peonies with blue Nepeta or violets, then surround white peonies with yellow irises and a froth of forget-me-nots.
Peonies are not overly picky, but you should pick your place carefully because they dislike disruption and do not transplant well.
Although they can survive in partial shade, peonies like full sun, and they flower at their best in an area that receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.
Because of its huge flowers, peonies can become top-heavy in severe winds. Therefore, provide shelter. (If necessary, stakes can be used to hold them up.) Planting too close to trees or bushes will cause peony to compete with them for nutrients, sunlight, and moisture.
Grow peony in rich, wet, humus-rich soil that is deep, fertile, and well-draining. pH in the soil should be neutral.
When to Plant Peonies
As long as they are planted correctly and become established, peony plants require minimal upkeep. However, keep in mind that they do not adapt well to transplanting, so you should consider this when choosing your planting location.
- Plant peony in the fall: in the majority of the United States, in late September or early October, and even later in the fall in Zones 7 and 8. Your planting zone can be found here.
- If you need to move an established plant, the fall is the ideal season because the plant will be dormant.
- About six weeks before the ground freezes, peonies should be planted.
- While planting peonies in the spring is absolutely a possibility, the results aren’t always favorable. They often trail behind plants planted in the fall by roughly a year, according to experts.
How to Plant Peonies
- Peonies are typically offered as divisions of a 3- or 4-year-old plant, bare-root tubers with 3 to 5 eyes (buds).
- Peonies should be placed 3 to 4 feet apart to allow for enough air circulation. The development of disease can be facilitated by stagnant, damp air.
- In a sunny area, dig a generously sized hole that is about 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide. The inclusion of organic matter in the planting hole will improve the soil. Add additional compost to the soil to improve it if it’s sandy or heavy. Add about a cup of bonemeal to the ground. Find out more about soil improvements and getting the soil ready for planting.
- The roots should be positioned in the hole just 2 inches below the soil’s surface, with the root’s eyes facing upward on top of a mound of soil. Avoid planting too deeply! Choose early-blooming species, put them approximately 1 inch deep, and provide some shade in southern states.
- Backfill the hole after that, being careful to prevent soil settlement and a 2-inch root burying. Gently tamp the ground.
- Plant a container-grown peony no deeper than it was when it was in the pot.
- When planting, give everything plenty of water.
How to Care for Peonies
Young peony take time to develop, just like children. In order to establish themselves, blossom, and flourish, they typically require a few years. They eventually leave home on their own, fully grown and adjusted… No, that’s just kids, I suppose.
Peonies benefit from gentle neglect. They don’t require digging and dividing every few years like the majority of perennials do.
- Don’t use any fertilizer. Before planting, till the soil thoroughly while adding compost and a small amount of fertilizer.
- Early summer, after the peonies have flowered and you have deadheaded the blooms, is the ideal time to apply fertilizer (such as bonemeal, compost, or well-rotted manure) to a soil that is deficient in nutrients. Keep fertilizing to a few years at most.
- assist the stems Peonies’ stems, which occasionally are not strong enough to hold their enormous blossoms, are the only part of their structure that may be considered weak. Think of structures that allow the plant to grow through the middle of the support, like three-legged metal peony rings or wire tomato cages.
- Peony blossoms should be deadheaded as soon as they start to fade, cutting to a sturdy leaf so that the stem doesn’t protrude through the foliage. To prevent any infections from overwintering, trim the foliage to the ground in the fall.
- Avoid covering peonies with mulch. For the first winter following planting, you can VERY LOOSELY mulch with pine needles or shredded bark when the winters are bitterly cold. In the spring, get rid of the mulch.
Peonies bloom between late spring and early summer, but by planting a variety of cultivars, you may arrange your garden for a succession of blooms from mid-May to late June. Here are a few options:
- ‘Early Scout’ has red solitary flowers that open incredibly early.
- “Firelight”: very early-blooming, single, pale-pink flowers
- ‘Karl Rosenfield’: double, midseason bloomer with substantial crimson blooms
Can you grow peony in Utah?
I didn’t factor in record-breaking heat when I chose to write about one of Utah’s biggest and most impressive spring blooms.
You could discover that some of these flowers have already concluded their display in warmer regions since they typically bloom around Memorial Day.
Peonies are hardy perennials that require little maintenance and do well across the state. The leaves make a good background for smaller plants, and the huge, brilliant blossoms make superb cut flowers.
Plants require little maintenance once they are established. They are able to endure years of growth in one place. They consistently blossom each spring (usually in May or early June).
The garden or herbaceous types are featured in this column and have broad, bushy stems that reach heights of 2 to 4 feet.
On woody stems, tree peony can reach heights of 5 to 6 feet. They cost more and are less frequently grown in Utah. They grow a shrub-like plant with several flowers on it. Tree peony’ stems do not wither away in the winter.
The Itohor intersectional hybrids, which are hybrids of herbaceous and tree peony, are the newest subgroup. They can reach a height of 3 1/2 feet, blooming for a longer period of time than typical herbaceous varieties, and the flowers are better supported by the stronger stems.
Garden peonies are divided into five categories based on the design of their petals.
Single, semi-double, double, Japanese, and anemone are among them. There are numerous varieties of each category. Approximately 8,000 identified cultivars of peony are listed by the American Peony Society. Yellow, cream, pink, rose, or deep crimson are the colors of flowers. In Utah, double peonies are most prevalent.
Tuberous roots or underground stems that store nourishment are the source of peonies. On the tuber, new development appears as buds or eyes. Even though a single tuberous root may contain numerous eyes, the plant cannot thrive without at least three buds.
The highest eye of the tuberous roots should be planted one inch beneath the soil’s surface. Deeper planting is frequently to blame for the plants’ inability to blossom.
Bright red can be seen on the juvenile spring shoots. They are easily harmed, so keep pets and foot traffic away from them. The mature leaves are glossy and dark green.
If given the right care, peonies grown in containers can be planted at any time. Because the roots decay in damp soil, peonies require well-drained soil. Because peonies can remain in one spot for many years without being divided or transplanted, carefully select the growth location and prepare the beds.
Peonies do best in full light. Avoid planting them beneath trees or bushes because their roots will fight with them for water and nutrients and because they are poor competitors. To keep flower stems from breaking in high winds, plants must be protected.
The plants are deprived of water, nutrients, light, and space by weeds. Carefully remove weeds so as not to disrupt peony roots. Keep turf grass away from the plants since grass is fiercely competitive.
Regular irrigation is required for peonies. Don’t let the soil become soggy. The soil should dry out in between waterings. Late-day sprinkles should be avoided since they promote fungal illnesses.
In rich garden soil, plants require less fertilizer. Apply fertilizer as needed during the growth season to boost blossom size. In Utah’s alkaline soils, iron chlorosis affects them adversely. The leaves don’t develop or bloom well, turning green with yellow veins. When symptoms emerge, avoid overwatering the plants and treat with iron chelate.
Staking the plants is occasionally necessary because when the huge blossoms form, the plants become top heavy. Plants should only be staked when necessary; never stake a plant in the middle as this could harm the tuberous roots.
Remove the petals after the blooms have dropped them to prevent the development of seeds. Keep the plant’s green leaves since it provides energy that will help it blossom nicely the following year.
When peonies are grown in Utah, the most common criticism is that they do not flower. Despite having sound roots and robust tops, they frequently fail to flower. When peonies are cultivated in excessive shadow, they do not bloom. Root development is hampered by poor drainage, which also stops flowers from flowering.
If eyes on tuberous roots are buried too deeply, peonies will not blossom. One inch or less of soil must be buried behind the eyes or buds.
Blossom formation is hampered if too much foliage is removed when cutting the blossoms or if the foliage is trimmed back before it dies back in the fall. Additionally, if other plants occupy the water, nutrients, light, and space that peonies require, they might not bloom. In the spring, late frosts can also destroy flower buds.
Few peony diseases exist in Utah, and the most are managed by careful watering; fungicides are only occasionally required.
Thanksgiving Point’s Utah State University Extension Service employs Larry A. Sagers as a horticulture specialist.
The Art of Garden Photography will be covered in a class at Thanksgiving Point on June 5, 12, and 19 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It costs $43.
A class called “Passionate About Perennials” is also being offered by Thanksgiving Point on June 5, 12, and 19 from 2-4:30 and 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $43.
A peony can be planted in the spring.
Peonies are enduring garden favorites that are well-known for their lavish, early-summer blossoms. They are dependable plants that bloom for generations with little care and have an extraordinarily long lifespan. Peonies are unmatched as cut flowers. They are beautiful in their natural beauty and have a soft, enduring perfume, whether they are grown alone or in mixed bouquets.
Start with a Better Bulb
It’s simple to discern quality differences between two peony plants when you compare them side by side. Grade #1 peony, as displayed at far left, are provided by Longfield Gardens. Right on this page is a peony of grade #2. The larger root requires less time to mature into a robust plant that bears several blossoms.
Plan for Success
Peonies are low maintenance and incredibly simple to grow. Here are some pointers to assist you achieve the greatest outcomes.
Peonies thrive in the sun and perform at their best when they receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. It is preferable to put your peonies in the most sunny area possible because the more sun they receive, the better their blooms will be.
Zones 3–8 are suitable for peonies’ winter hardiness. Cold winter climates are excellent for their growth and flowering. Zones 8 may be difficult for them, while zones 9 and warmer are not advised for them. Check your hardiness zone now. The USDA Hardiness zone map can be found here.
Soil: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil is ideal for growing most plants, including peony. By incorporating compost and an all-purpose fertilizer during planting time, you can enhance the condition of your soil. Planting should not be done on wet or compacted soil.
When to Plant: Spring or fall are both suitable times to plant bareroot peonies. The plants can withstand frost, so you can plant them two to three weeks before the last day of frost. You can plant potted peonies at any time of the growing season.
Make a 12-by-12-inch hole. Compost and general-purpose granular fertilizer should be added after loosening the soil at the bottom of the hole (follow package directions).
Place the peony root in the hole with the eyes (the growth points) no lower than one inch below the surface of the soil. Peonies that are planted too deeply may continue to grow but not blossom. Add soil over the root and water as necessary.
Planting Tips for Peonies
Peonies need full sun in order to produce a profusion of blossoms. Even though certain types may withstand moderate shadow, fewer flowers bloom in general when there is less light.
Peonies should be planted in soil that is fertile, well-drained, and has a pH range of neutral to slightly alkaline. They will eventually grow a substantial root system and become challenging to relocate. Spend some time placing your peonies in a location where they can flourish for many years. The plants are reasonably drought resistant once they are established.
Continual Gardens Perennial gardens work well with peonies. Their year-round gorgeous dark green leaves. Peony leaves occasionally turn crimson or gold in the fall.
Fence lines and hedges To create a low hedge for enclosing a space, defining one side of a garden, or edging a walkway, peonies can be planted in a row. They also look fantastic when planted at the bottom of a chain link or split rail fence. As a sturdy fence will restrict airflow around the plants and increase their susceptibility to foliar diseases, avoid growing them next to one.
Plantings for the foundation and shrub borders The presence of a peony is comparable to that of a tiny shrub. Peonies may grow practically anyplace in your landscape as long as they are planted in well-drained soil, receive enough light, and have sufficient air circulation.
What to Expect from Peonies
All peonies bloom in the first few weeks of summer, however each cultivar blooms at a different period. The peony season can be prolonged by a month or more if you plant a mixture of early, mid, and late season bloomers. Other early summer perennials like iris, alliums, and roses pair well with peonies. The greenery keeps borders looking full and gives other flowers a lush background.
Most peony mature at least three feet tall and three feet wide, depending on the type. Therefore, it’s crucial to provide them freedom to expand. Peonies will maintain their flowers straight if a support cage is placed all around them. Use a pre-made peony support or create your own from steel or mesh reinforcing wire or wood slats. Early in the spring, before the plants reach a height of 12 inches, supports should be installed.
Carefree peony plants that hardly ever experience insect or disease problems. A young peony plant needs two to three years to become established, but once it does, it will reliably blossom each year.
Fantastic cut flowers are peonies. The majority of cultivars are also incredibly fragrant, and they remain for days in a vase. When the buds are in the “marshmellow” stage, peony stems can be removed and kept in water in the refrigerator for a few weeks. After many days, the buds on the stems brought into room temperature will begin to open.
Caring for Peonies are they Bloom
Use scissors to cut off the wasted flower heads and the top six to eight stems once the blossoms have faded “that stem. This will prevent the plants from forming seed heads and keep the plants looking tidy. The plants will be able to produce the energy they require for the blossoms of the following year if as little foliage as possible is removed.
In fall, wait until the foliage is yellow, then cut back all the stems to within an inch or two of the ground.
When the stems are about 6 inches long in the spring, fertilize peonies “tall. Around the base of each plant, dispense about a half cup of all-purpose granular fertilizer. To avoid having the eyes buried too deeply, remove any mulch or other debris from the plant’s crown.
How to Divide a Peony
Peonies can stay undisturbed for several years in the same location. If the plants must be moved, do so in the fall when they are beginning to enter dormancy rather than in the spring when they are just starting to grow again. Trim the leaves, which may be up to three feet wide, then carefully remove the entire root ball. Dig carefully, avoiding uprooting any roots, and dig deeply. Replant right away, and give it lots of water.
Plant division can be done in the fall or very early in the spring. One method is to remove the entire root ball as previously said, then place the clump on a tarp. After cutting the clump into sections with a sharp knife, quickly replant each section. Work swiftly and gently, causing the fewest potential injuries to the fleshy roots.
The alternative is to cut one or more portions of root from the mother plant using a sharp spade. Once more, plant these divisions again right away, and during the first growth season, irrigate as necessary. Though you may often anticipate losing at least one season of blossoms, plants will recover more quickly the less the roots are touched.
Peony Pests and Diseases
Pests and illnesses rarely affect peonies. Buds can occasionally become black and shrivel as if they have been scorched by a fungus called botrytis. Young shoots and entire stems may turn black as a result of the disease. Wet weather worsens infection, as it does with all fungus-related illnesses. Take away and discard any tissues that are harmed. The greatest method of management is prevention; discard wasted blooms as soon as you can, abstain from overhead irrigation, and avoid crowding plants to promote good air circulation.
Peony buds are coated in a slightly sweet, sticky material just before they blossom. This will frequently draw ants, who enjoy the tasty treat. The ants are not necessary for peonies, yet they do not harm them in any way. It benefits both parties. Simply shake the flowers or submerge them in cool water if you plan to cut them and don’t want to attract ants into your house.