A cold winter is ideal for peonies (Paeonia spp.) to go into dormancy, their seasonal rest. However, peony buds may freeze if they are exposed to a late frost in the spring, shortly before bloom time. If frost is expected, peonies should be covered lightly. However, lack of chilling time is more likely to prevent blossoming than spring frost in mild-winter regions when nonstop days at 45 degrees F or below are uncommon.
Peonies that have been injured by frost provide a difficulty every spring in the northern hemisphere. Light freeze damage is frequently noticeable in the morning through withering stems, and plants recover later in the day. Sometimes cooler nights cause permanent harm, as shown by dead shoots that never grow back. Generally speaking, damage may occur at temperatures below 25 F. To prevent subsequent infections from fungi diseases, dead stems and leaves should be removed from plants that have endured deadly frosts. Early shoot and stem loss is frequently replaced by fresh growth from latent eyes and buds. On established plants, these new branches frequently produce flowers the same year even if they might not be as vigorous. Don’t dig up your peony and toss it away since sometimes plants won’t grow new foliage in the year of a loss and will instead go dormant for the growth seasons. Keep peonies that have been harmed by frost on the dry side and avoid watering unless there is a drought.
The woody (tree) peonies that have been harmed by this year’s frost are shown below. All plants will produce new foliage, but their secondary latent buds might not produce flowers.
Will peony blossoms suffer from a freeze?
We sincerely regret for the delayed post on the Zones 3 and 4 freeze watch/warning tonight due to our extremely busy weekend with our son’s graduation. Our research has shown that three nights with a temperature of 19 degrees Fahrenheit or lower will cause damage to the peony for that particular year. It goes without saying that they returned the next year. For those of you with inquiries about peonies planted in the fall, we advise you to remove the first-year blooms in order to devote all of your stored energy to root development for the next year. How might a late-season frost or cold affect peonies that are still in the bud stage? Unfortunately, that might harm the buds, which would prevent them from flowering, or it could stunt the blossoms. After the colder temperatures tomorrow night and tonight, we’ll know more. The buds may become brown, in which case you should cut them off because they won’t flower. Nearly ten years ago, we witnessed this in the fields, where the two nights of temperatures in the mid to high 20s F destroyed about half of the blooms. The stems and foliage were healthy, but the fragile buds did not suffer as well. Then, the following year, we experienced enormous blooms as the energy was directed toward producing roots, which astounded us to no end. Peonies have incredible tenacity! In household gardens, covering peonies doesn’t do any harm. Will the peony die from the late-season frost or freeze? Evidently, it didn’t in our instance. We ourselves have just let the peonies withstand the elements, even today’s little “sleet” shower. YIKES! Peonies must be loved, right?