Peony Care: How to Plant & Grow Peonies

Few perennials reward patience like the peony. Plant one correctly and it can outlive you, returning every late spring with armfuls of lush, fragrant blooms that thrive on neglect. The single most important thing to get right is planting depth, and this guide walks you through that critical rule along with everything else you need to grow peonies that flower reliably for decades.

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Types of peonies: herbaceous, tree, and Itoh

Before you plant, it helps to know which kind of peony you have, because each grows and overwinters a little differently. There are three main groups, and once you understand them, every care decision becomes easier.

• Herbaceous peonies are the classic garden peony. They die back to the ground each fall and resprout from underground buds (called eyes) in spring. They are the most common, the most cold-hardy, and the type most subject to the planting-depth rule below.
• Tree peonies are woody shrubs that keep their stems through winter, slowly building a permanent framework up to 4-7 feet tall. They produce enormous, often dinner-plate-sized flowers and tolerate a bit more shade. Unlike herbaceous types, they are grafted and planted deeper.
• Itoh (intersectional) peonies are hybrids between herbaceous and tree peonies. They die back like herbaceous types but inherit the tree peony’s huge flowers, strong stems, and unusual colors. They rarely need staking and are prized for blooming over a longer window.

For a broader look at growing flowering perennials, see our plant & flower care guide.

Planting depth: the rule that makes or breaks blooms

If you remember only one thing from this article, make it this: herbaceous and Itoh peonies must be planted shallow. The pink or red buds (eyes) on a bare-root peony should sit no more than 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. Plant them deeper and the peony will grow lush foliage but refuse to bloom, sometimes for years. This single mistake is the most common reason peonies fail to flower.

• Bare-root timing: Plant in fall (September to October in most of the US) so roots establish before winter. Fall-planted peonies bloom far better than spring-planted ones.
• Dig wide, not deep: Loosen a hole about 12-18 inches across and mix in compost, then set the root so the eyes are barely covered with 1-2 inches of soil.
• Tree peonies are the exception: Because they are grafted, plant the graft union 4-6 inches deep to encourage the top variety to form its own roots.
• Spacing: Give each plant 3-4 feet. Good airflow reduces fungal disease and lets each peony reach full size.

Ready to start? Quality bare roots establish best when planted promptly. Browse peony roots and tubers and aim for divisions with 3-5 healthy eyes.

Light, soil, and where to plant

Peonies are long-lived and resent being moved, so choose the site carefully the first time. Get the conditions right and you may never need to touch the plant again.

• Light: Full sun, at least 6 hours a day. In hot southern zones, a little afternoon shade keeps blooms from fading too fast, but too much shade means weak stems and few flowers.
• Soil: Rich, fertile, and above all well-drained. Peonies hate soggy roots. Heavy clay should be amended generously with compost, or plant in a raised bed.
• pH: Slightly acidic to neutral, around 6.5-7.0, is ideal.
• Avoid competition: Keep peonies away from tree and shrub roots that will steal water and nutrients.

Watering and feeding

Established peonies are remarkably drought-tolerant, but the right water and feeding routine produces bigger, more numerous flowers.

Watering

• Water new plantings regularly through their first season to settle roots.
• Once established, water deeply about once a week during dry spells, then let the soil dry between waterings.
• Water at the base, not overhead, to avoid the fungal diseases that wet foliage invites.

Feeding

• Peonies are light feeders. Too much nitrogen produces leaves at the expense of blooms.
• Apply a low-nitrogen, phosphorus-rich fertilizer in early spring as shoots emerge, and again lightly after flowering.
• A bloom-boosting bulb fertilizer worked gently into the surrounding soil supports flowering without overdoing the green growth.
• An annual fall topdressing of compost is often all an established peony needs.

Staking floppy blooms and deadheading

The double-flowered herbaceous peonies that everyone loves carry blooms so heavy they flop to the ground after rain. A bit of support keeps them upright and the show going.

Staking

• Set supports early in spring, while shoots are still short, so the plant grows up through them and hides the frame.
• Grow-through grid hoops work best. Try peony grow-through supports sized to the mature plant.
• Itoh and tree peonies have sturdier stems and usually need no staking at all.

Deadheading

• Snip off spent flowers just below the bloom once petals drop. This tidies the plant and redirects energy to the roots rather than seed production.
• Leave the foliage in place all summer. The leaves feed next year’s buds, so never cut a peony back until fall.
• In autumn, cut herbaceous and Itoh stems to the ground and clear the debris to prevent overwintering disease. Leave tree peony stems intact.

The ants on peony buds: myth vs. reality

Almost every peony grower notices ants crawling over the fat, unopened buds and wonders if they are harming the plant. Here is the truth: the ants are not necessary for the flowers to open, and they do no damage. The buds secrete a sweet nectar, and the ants simply come to feed on it. The old belief that peonies cannot bloom without ants is a myth.

• Do not spray insecticide to remove them; you will harm beneficial insects for no reason.
• If you cut peonies for a vase, gently shake or swish the blooms in water first to dislodge any hitchhikers.

Dividing peonies

Peonies rarely need dividing, and they prefer to be left undisturbed. Divide only to propagate a favorite plant or to rejuvenate a very old, overcrowded clump.

• When: Early fall, the same window as planting, so divisions can root before winter.
• How: Lift the whole clump, rinse the soil away to see the eyes, and cut the root into sections with a sharp knife, each with 3-5 eyes and a good mass of root.
• Replant shallow: Apply the same 1-2 inch depth rule, and expect a year or two of recovery before full bloom returns.

Why peonies fail to bloom

A healthy peony that grows leaves but no flowers is frustrating, and the cause is almost always one of a short list of issues. Run through these before giving up.

• Planted too deep is the number-one culprit. Eyes more than 2 inches down often will not bloom. Replant shallower in fall.
• Too much shade starves the plant of the sun it needs to set buds.
• Too young or recently moved. New and divided peonies often take 2-3 years to settle in and bloom well. Patience usually solves this.
• Too much nitrogen from lawn fertilizer or rich feeding pushes leaves instead of flowers.
• Cut back too early last year, before the foliage could recharge the roots.
• Late frost can kill developing buds in a given spring, with no lasting harm to the plant.

If you love big, blowsy early-summer flowers, pair your peonies with other classics. Our guides to hydrangea care and bearded iris cover companions that bloom in overlapping seasons for a fuller border.

Frequently asked questions