At a glance
- Peonies are best planted in autumn, roughly CW 36 to 42, then they root in by spring.
- The most common mistake is planting too deep. The buds must sit only two to three centimetres below the soil, or the bloom fails.
- They are extremely long-lived and dislike being moved. Set right once, they flower for decades.
- Ants on the buds are completely harmless, they only nibble the sweet sap.
- Herbaceous peonies are cut back in autumn, tree peonies are not.
Peonies are among the most faithful plants in the garden. A well-set peony often outlives the person who planted it, flowers more lavishly year after year and asks for surprisingly little. The catch: it does not forgive one single beginner's mistake, and that costs you years without bloom. Know that mistake and give it the right spot, and you enjoy its full, fragrant flowers in May and June for decades.
The most common mistake: planted too deep
When a peony sends up strong growth year after year but will not flower, it is almost always down to the planting depth. The red buds at the base, from which the new shoots come, must sit only just below the soil, about two to three centimetres deep. Buried deeper, the plant makes leaves but no, or barely any, flowers.
The decisive rule
Set the buds of the herbaceous peony at most two to three centimetres below the soil surface. When in doubt, rather too shallow than too deep. When mulching later, do not bury the base thickly either, or the shyness to flower creeps back in over the years.
Plant in autumn
The best planting time is autumn, roughly CW 36 to 42. Then the peony roots in well by spring. Spring planting works too, but often only flowers properly a year later.
Prepare the hole generously
Dig a deep, wide hole and work in ripe compost. The soil may be rich but free-draining; the peony dislikes waterlogging.
Set it shallow
Set the plant so the red buds lie only two to three centimetres below the surface. This is the single most important step.
Water in and be patient
Water well. And then you wait: peonies need one to three years to really get going. The first year is often flowerless, which is normal.
Paeonia officinalis
- Familie
- Peony family
- Standort
- Full sun to light part shade, deep, free-draining
- Saison
- Plant CW 36 to 42, flowers May to June
- Wasserbedarf
- Moderate, tolerates no waterlogging
- Frosthärte
- Fully hardy, very long-lived
The spot: sunny and permanent
Peonies want a sunny to at most lightly part-shaded spot and a deep, rich but free-draining soil. The most important thing after that: leave them in peace. Peonies form a deep, strong root system and react to any moving with years of no bloom. So choose the spot carefully, because it should last for decades.
A plant for a whole life
Only few garden plants accompany a family over so many years as the peony. In old cottage gardens stand specimens older than the people who tend them.
This constancy makes it a special plant for a fixed spot, the bed edge by the seating area or a corner you look forward to anew each spring.
Herbaceous or tree: the difference
Not every peony is the same. For the right pruning you need to know which type you have.
The two types of peony
- Herbaceous peony
Dies back completely in winter and re-sprouts from the ground each spring. Cut back to the ground in autumn. The cottage garden classic.
- Tree peony
Forms woody shoots that stay over winter. Not cut back, only tidied. Grows larger and flowers earlier in the year.
- Itoh hybrids
Crosses of both that flower strongly and have sturdy stems. Cut back like herbaceous peonies in autumn.
- All hardy
All three types are fully hardy here and need no winter protection once established.
The thing about the ants
Hardly any garden myth is as stubborn as the one that peonies need the ants to open. It is not true. The ants come for the sweet nectar the buds exude and nibble at it. They neither harm the plant nor help it open. If you bring cut flowers indoors, simply shake the buds out briefly or dip them upside down in water.
You do not plant a peony for yourself, but for the next generation.
Cottage garden wisdom
Care: staking, feeding, cutting back
The large, double flowers are heavy and topple easily in rain. A plant support that you set over the plant in good time in spring keeps the stems upright. Feed sparingly with compost in spring; too much nitrogen promotes leaves rather than flowers.
Cut herbaceous peonies back to the ground in late autumn, which also removes possible fungal spores. Leave tree peonies standing and only tidy out spent flowers and deadwood. In damp weather grey mould can attack shoots and buds; then cut out affected parts and ensure an airy position.
Why does my peony not flower?
If the plant looks healthy but does not flower, the most common reasons are quickly checked: planted too deep, too much shade, too young or just moved. Planting too deep is by far number one. In that case dig the plant up carefully in autumn and set it shallower, then the bloom usually returns within one to two years.
Enter the autumn planting and the cut back in your garden journal. That way you give this patient plant the right start, and it thanks you for many decades.
Common questions about the peony
Why does my peony not flower?
The most common reason is planting too deep: the buds must lie only two to three centimetres below the soil. Other causes are too much shade, a too-young or freshly moved specimen. Dig up a too-deep plant in autumn and set it shallower.
When is the best time to plant peonies?
In autumn, roughly CW 36 to 42. Then they root in well by spring and flower earlier. Mind the shallow planting depth when setting them.
Do I need to fight the ants on the buds?
No. The ants only nibble the sweet sap of the buds, they do not harm the plant and are not needed for it to open. For the vase, simply shake the buds out.
How and when do I cut peonies back?
Cut herbaceous peonies back to the ground in late autumn, which prevents fungal attack. Do not cut tree peonies back, only tidy out spent flowers and deadwood.
Can I move a peony?
Best not. Peonies dislike a change of spot and often take a multi-year break from flowering afterwards. If you must, then in autumn, with as much root as possible and at the right shallow depth.
Spotted a mistake?
