Paeoniaspp.
For an cosmetic highlight in late spring to early summertime , fulfil your garden bed and border with the luscious flower of perennial peony ( Paeoniaspp . ) .
ThePaeoniagenus is the only one in the Paeoniaceae family of plants . There are 33 species and 15 subspeciesnative to Asia , Europe , and North America .
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Fresh spring foliage.
Many are suited to home garden refinement inUSDA Hardiness Zones3 - 8 , and are uncommitted inshades of pinkish , purple , red , white , and yellow .
In this clause , you will learn how to cultivate the peony in your landscape .
What You’ll Learn
Quick Look
How to spring up
cultivar to choose
Fresh spring foliage.
sustentation
Propagation
Pests and Disease
Best Uses
Let ’s get started !
usual name(s):Peonies
flora type : Herbaceous or woody flowering perennial
Hardiness ( USDA Zone):3 - 8
aboriginal to : Asia , Europe , North America
efflorescence time : natural spring to former summertime
Exposure : Full sun
Soil type : Organically rich , well drain
Soil pH:6.5 - 7.5 , slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
prison term to maturity:2 - 3 years
Spacing : 2 - 4 feet
Fresh spring foliage.
Planting depth:2 inches ( herbaceous rootstock bud eyes / intersectional crowns);4 inches ( tree transplant )
Mature size:1 - 5 human foot wide of the mark x 1 - 6 base high , depending on variety
Water pauperization : Medium
Taxonomy
Order : Saxifragales
Family : Paeoniaceae
Genus : Paeonia
Species : Brownii , californica , delavayi , japonica , lactifolia , obovata , officinalis , rockii , suffruticosa , tenuifolia
cultivar : Various
The origin of the name “ paeony ” is the subject of an ancient Hellenic myth .
Versions of the storey vary , but the gist is that Asclepius , god of medicine , had a scholar key Paeon who outshined him by obtaining a healing root at the request of the goddess Leto .
Envious , Asclepius contrive to off Paeon , but instead , Zeus turned him into a flower calledPaeonia .
In the Middle Ages , the paeony held a place of honor in Asia and Europe , where it was prize for its usance in culinary and medicinal applications , and its ravisher as an ornamental specimen .
Its voluptuary physique come to typify richness , beauty , good fortune , and integrity , and was frequently represented in the arts and literature .
By the eighteenth century , the flower was under culture in Japan , and by the twentieth , plantsman Toichi Itoh pass over an herbaceous species with a tree diagram specie to make a third case of flora , the “ intersectional . ”
This unique hybrid made its direction to the United States , and at about the same time in France , stock breeder Victor Lemoine was hard at employment breeding twice - flowered Lemoine hybrid tree varieties .
There arethree main groups or “ sections”of thePaeoniagenus :
The Moutan surgical incision consists ofwoody Chinese tree peonies , includingP. officinalisandP. rockii .
Onaepia hold the two native North American mintage , P. browniiandP.californica . These arewildflowersthat are uncommon in cultivation .
The Paeoniae plane section of thePaeoniagenus is somewhat of a arrest - all grouping that contains herbaceous species likeP. lactifloraandP. tenuifolia , from which many cultivars start . There are both Asian and European species here .
And just to keep thing fun , we also have the aforementioned intersectional hybrid cross of Moutan tree and herbaceous species .
Plants are also group by their ontogeny riding habit , which may be herbaceous , tree - like , or intersectional .
Learn more about the unlike type of paeony .
Peonies are magnificently low - maintenance once instal , but getting them off to a strong start means sympathize their preferences for tripping , soil , temperature , urine , and more .
With a bit of longanimity , you ’ll be rewarded with stunning bloom for decennary .
Planting
Plant in the outpouring after the last icing , or in the crepuscule before the first frost , depending upon the variety .
It ’s easy to find which is adept because the root stock and works typically become usable for purchase at the appropriate fourth dimension .
For a full season of flower , consider planting in succession with other spring tree types , mid - bound herbaceous , and late - blooming intersectionals .
The bare rootstock ofPaeoniaready to plant.
Allow for a mature width of about three foot for herbaceous types and intersectionals , and four to five understructure for tree types .
While it may take year to accomplish such stature , you ’ll be beaming you plan for it from day one , as it push goodly air circulation , and prevents having to relocate flora later on .
Prepare the soil by working it into a friable , or crumbly , consistency down at least 12 inches . Mix in some granules of a slow - acting organic fertilizer that is small in atomic number 7 , to avoid an overrun of leaves .
Photo via Alamy.
Now , here ’s a Francis Scott Key to winner : place rootstock with the bud shoot , or “ eyes ” no more than two column inch below the soil airfoil .
For potted plants , keep them at the same level they were in their baby’s room pot .
Plant tree diagram peonies deep enough to hide the graft wedlock with four inch of garden soil or potting medium . This encourages them to produce roots of their own .
Don’t panic if you see ants munching on your peony flower buds. They are attracted to the sweetness and do no harm.
And cover the crowns of intersectionals with two inches of ground or potting medium .
Gently pack terra firma around the rootstock to steady it , and ensure to leave no air pockets underneath . pack down gently and water well . Tamp down again .
Light
peony prefer full sun , but can tolerate some shadowiness , peculiarly in the warmest zones . In part nuance locations , tree and intersectional types flower better than herbaceous varieties .
If you hold up in a warm climate , some good afternoon shade is unspoiled , specially for easy colored blossoms prone to fading , and single - flower varieties .
Soil
You ’ll needorganically rich soilwith a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.Amend with compostas needed . Be sure that it enfeeble well , because the tuberous roots ofPaeoniamay become saturated and prostrate to rotting if they sit in stick out water .
Water
Maintain aninch of water per weekthrough rain or subsidiary irrigation while plants become established . signal of growth are grounds of winner .
Once establish , you may commute the watering turn .
Maintain one column inch of water per week during establishment , and then water supply profoundly every two weeks , or as needed in the absence seizure of rainfall .
P. lactiflora ‘Laura Dessert’ with an explosion of double yellow center petals.
Unlike some perennials that need even wet , paeony seem to do best with a deep watering every mates of workweek , after the soil has partially dry out out .
Be certain to take rain into account , and do n’t ever oversaturate .
Fertilizer
Each springiness , as the uprise time of year get afoot and before buds are set , give your plants a dose of tardily - acting constitutional farinaceous fertilizer with a downcast nitrogen subject matter .
Too much N may result in too many leaves and too few flowers .
you’re able to reduplicate this mid - growing season , and then that ’s it for the yr . Fertilizing after this point will excite growth when plant should be wind down toward dormancy .
Container Growing
you could grow plant in container with a depth of two feet and a diameter that can accommodate the fledged dimension of your choose mixture .
container dry out out quicker than ground filth , souse your moisture meterto check out them weekly and water deeply as ask .
Should your plant break down to blossom , insure out our trouble-shoot guidefor assistance .
Now that you have a basic put to work knowledge of thePaeoniagenus and how to cultivate its showstopping flush , you ’re ready to purchase good character industrial plant and/or rootstock .
Here are a few owing variety to consider for your garden :
Coral Sunset
recent springiness to early summertime bloomingPaeonia‘Coral Sunset ’ lives up to its picturesque name with semi - double peachy-coloured - coral petal and rich golden center stamen .
‘ Coral Sunset ’
Stems achieve 30 to 36 inch grandiloquent with a spread of 24 to 30 inches .
industrial plant in the fall in full sun locations in Zones 3 - 8 . Cover with two to three layers of mulch for winter insulation .
Find ‘ Coral Sunset ’ from Eden Brothersin pocketbook of two , four , or 10 root .
Itoh Bartzella
Spring - bloomingPaeonia‘Bartzella ’ is an intersectional hybrid cross between an herbaceous and a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree paeony , jactitation buttery threefold yellow flowers that blush red at their nerve center .
‘ Bartzella ’
Mature height reach out 30 to 36 column inch with a spread of 24 to 36 inch .
flora in declivity or spring in full Dominicus in Zones 3 - 8 .
Find‘Bartzella ’ now from Burpeein package containing one bare root plant .
Karl Rosenfield
The sheer crimson / magenta double blooms ofP. lactiflora‘Karl Rosenfield ’ are trusted to be a hit in late spring to early summer in beds , borders , and snub gardens .
‘ Karl Rosenfield ’
Attractive red - tinged stems reach heights of 30 to 36 inches with an adequate spread . Plant in spring in full sunlight locations in zone 3 to 8 .
Find ‘ Karl Rosenfield ’ now from Burpeein packages containing one unembellished root plant .
Once your plants are underway and blooming prolifically , take the time todeadhead spent blossomsto encourage even more blooming . And do n’t forget to cut stems to enjoy indoors in vase arrangements .
In addition , for tree types , early bounce is the clip to snip off any tiny shoots growing up from the rootstock . Most Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are grafted , so the rootstock is rarely the same as what you are cultivating above ground .
This is also a good time to prune away any dead woody branches , or those that disfigure an attractive , stocky shape .
A complaint often heard from new peony growers is that the blossom droop . I have intercourse from experience that heavy bivalent - flower varieties saturate with rain do string up their head down .
Help them out with a elementary fix : a basket support .
Find support cagesfrom Garden Support via Amazonin packages of six or 12 .
Simply push the terminal of the two halves of the support into the earth to encircle sprouting herbaceous varieties , and as they grow , it will help hold them up .
Peony Cages
Intersectional varieties do not generally require staking .
Droopy head are not only unattractive , water system - laden petals are more susceptible to pesterer and disease as well .
You are much less likely to have issue with single - flower types because they do n’t fill with water the way the doubles do , so consider this when selecting plants .
Another aspect of peony care is to protect loose dark-skinned plants from fading and those in the strong regions from heating system stress .
If you ’ve ever traveled to an Asiatic botanical garden , you may have fancy cagy ways to partly fill in prise plants with parasols and wicker tents .
count apply similar cover or a refinement cloth to protect yours as needed .
After summer wanes , the leave of many varieties blaze red or bronze before dropping .
And while tree type remain stomach through the winter , as herbaceous varieties and intersectionals succumb to the first rime , they droop and seem to melt away .
Remove all drained stems and foliage from herbaceous and intersectional motley when they have died , to suppress overwintering pests and disease pathogen .
In colder region , you may want to applya two - inch layer of mulcharound the root of tree kind , and to cover herbaceous and intersectional localization .
Paeoniatakes time to become found , but depart undisturbed , it pushes deep root into the world .
Before wintertime comes , mark the locations of plant that die to the footing so that when give arrives you do n’t circumstantially step on unexampled shoots .
you may read more about peony winter care here .
There are several methods for starting plants .
Growing from seed is discouraged , as it take at least two years for germination , and the challenges involved ordinarily relegate this type of propagation to the greenhouses of botanists .
desolate rhizome or potted plant may be transfer reliably to start herbaceous varieties .
The effective time to plant herbaceous varieties is in other surrender . anticipate flowers within two years .
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree peonies are purchased with the peony of choice graft to hardy herbaceous rootstock and pot .
Plant them in the spring or fall , and look forward to bloom in about three years .
you may also acquire rootstalk by separate plants when they are inactive in early spring or recent descent .
You may divide herbaceous and intersectional type in the fall as you would other tuberous perennials .
Note that plants may be shocked by the experience , and may not produce flowers the following twelvemonth .
To separate :
As a regulation , they do n’t involve dividing , but every 10 to 15 twelvemonth , you may need to thin them to keep good air flow between clumps , as report in the surgical incision on works maintenance below .
ThePaeoniagenus is not too hassle by pest .
However , there are a few to watch out out for , including :
If you are plant peonies and notice rotten point on the rootstock , or have plant life crack up , you may have an plague of bulb mites . handling with a sulfur fungicide may turn up successful .
You ’ll know you have a problem with the hoplia beetle , Hoplia callipyge , if you see round mess in your flower flower petal . It looks like aJapanese beetle , and seems to favour light one-sided bloom .
Handpick the beetles and drop them into a pail of sudsy weewee to get rid of them . They also like rose , so check them , too .
mealy bug , exfoliation , and thrips are sap - sucking insects that you may be able-bodied to get disembarrass of with an program program of organic neem vegetable oil . Damaged foliage and sticky trails of “ honeydew melon ” are telltale signs of their bearing .
You may notice a luck of ants on the buds of your plants . They ’re harmless , and although many folks believe that without them the bud wo n’t open up , this is just a fun myth .
The pismire and the peony do , however , enjoy an association that profit them both . The bugs relish the sugariness and are handy to ware sapsucker , like aphid , should they come along . Such a relationship is call “ mutualism . ”
As for disease , the most likely to acquaint themselves are fungal in nature , and admit :
Botrytis blight attack roots , and powdery mildew discolors and deforms foliage .
genus Phytophthora blight is an oomycete , or water mould , that attacks at the land story .
cover affected plants with a fungicideper bundle instructions .
Plants that get set of sunlight , are n’t push , and grow in ground that drains well are the least probable to meet the depredation of pest and disease .
Lush peony blooms are perfect for bidding a cheery welcome along walks and driveways . After blossom , the robust gullible foliage forms a texturally rich backcloth to other garden specimens .
Many varieties arefragrant , and all makesumptuous shortened flowersto enjoyin vase arrangements . attempt group several together , or allow each to stand alone as an heart - catch specimen .
Enricha cottage gardenwith their flouncy , quixotic blooms , as well asdahlias , irises , androsesthat favor the same growing polish .
Fill containers for the patio . Choose those with full drainage pickle , and as observe , a deepness of two invertebrate foot and a breadth that accommodates mature attribute .
Showy Spring to Summer
A figure of class ago , I was give way a gorgeous Battle of Magenta double - efflorescence gem dug from a neighbour ’s female parent ’s decades - honest-to-goodness garden . unhappily , it failed to return one spring , and I know why .
We had had a piddle main break in January , and my drive border garden take a beating from ice and rock salt .
Although the peony is passably salt tolerant , it has its limits .
Keep this in mind when you plant yours . The in force intelligence is that they are cervid and rabbit insubordinate , but remember , a starving animal may eat anything it can find .
turn other , midseason , and tardy bloomers to delight the full leap - to - summertime season . And if you just do n’t have the space for them to rise in the garden , consider cultivating these stalwart perennials in containers .
It ’s time to add the peony toyour garden planner . Who knows ? Your grandchild may continue to beak bouquets of its lovely blossoms in age to come .
Do you love flowering perennialsas much as we do ? If so , be trusted to check out some of our other guide next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . Originally published February 18th , 2019 . Last updated May 2nd , 2025 . Product pic via Burpee , Eden Brothers , and Amazon . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .
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Nan Schiller
