Master Growing and Caring for Peonies: An 8-Step Guide

Peonies are the stars of any landscape, thanks to their big blooms, incredible fragrance, and pretty green foliage, and they’re surprisingly easy to grow.

In this guide, you will learn the essentials of growing and caring for peonies, including:

• How planting depth can affect peony blooms.
• The truth about ants on peony buds.
• The right amount of fertilizer to apply.
• How to properly prune different types of peony plants.

Follow these steps for peony blooms so stunning that neighbors will stop to snap selfies.

Step #1: Choose the Right Peony

The first decision you need to make is which kind of peony to grow.

Although the name “peony” is often used for a single flower or plant, it actually covers three distinct groups with different forms, climate needs, planting depth, and seasonal care requirements.

Types of Peonies

1. Herbaceous Peonies: The classic and most widely available type with soft stems. They go dormant in winter.
2. Tree Peonies: Woody shrubs that keep their stems year-round, bloom earlier in the season, and tolerate milder winters.
3. Intersectional (Itoh) Peonies: A hybrid of herbaceous and tree peonies with large flowers on sturdy stems. Dies back in winter, but grows better in a wider range of climates.

In regions with mild winters, tree and Itoh peonies are usually the smartest choice.

Outstanding Varieties

After settling on a type of peony, you’ll want to choose a variety. Cultivars (or varieties) vary a lot in flower form and color, fragrance, and stem strength.

You can consider varieties like:

• Sarah Bernhardt: A widely available herbaceous peony with blush pink double flowers.
• Coral Charm: A semi-double herbaceous peony that provides one of the best cut flowers. Colors shift as it blooms.
• Bartzella: A top Itoh hybrid peony with strong stems that blooms for weeks.
• Molly the Witch: A tree peony with single pale yellow flowers.

All peony varieties are slow starters. A new plant might take two or three seasons to bloom well, but it will last; peonies can continue flowering in the same spot even after 70 years.

How to Choose Peonies

1. Choose your type based on your climate and garden style.
2. Pick a named cultivar that offers the qualities that matter most to you: flower form, color, fragrance, or stem strength.
3. Don’t plant to harvest heavily or divide early. Give the roots at least three years to establish.

Step #2: Select a Long-Term Planting Site

Peonies live so long that choosing a planting location is a long-term commitment. You’ll want to choose wisely.

A plant placed in the wrong spot may look healthy but flower poorly. Then, you’ll need to move a mature, established peony, which isn’t easy.

How to Choose a Planting Site

• Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.
• Check drainage: Does water drain away within an hour?
• Avoid trees, shrubs, or hedges within 10 feet whose roots or canopies could become an issue.
• Consider what will be built or planted nearby in the next 10 years.
• Avoid spots in corners or dense plantings.

If no ideal site exists, prioritize sun above everything else. You can also consider growing peonies in a container for more control over sunlight and drainage.

Common Peony Planting Mistakes

Peony growers often make two common site mistakes: Choosing a site with too much shade and too little airflow.

Most peonies need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily, but more is better. Additionally, all peony types prefer to stand alone. Avoid crowding with other plants that create humid, shady conditions that invite disease and weaken flowering.

Like peonies, hydrangeas benefit from a well-chosen right planting location; read our guide on growing hydrangeas here.

Step #3: Prepare the Soil

Peonies need well-draining and fertile soil at their planting site. Since peonies live for decades, soil preparation is a long-term investment that’s worth the extra effort.

Ideally, peony soil does two things: It provides enough nutrients to keep the plant healthy for years, and it stays loose enough that water doesn’t pool around the roots. Poor drainage is a common peony killer; it’s hard to fix after the plant is in the ground.

Peonies also prefer soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, around 6.5 to 7.0. It’s worth checking your soil’s pH before you plant, especially if you have had other plants with issues in that area.

If you do need to amend the soil, avoid amending only the planting hole. Improved soil drains faster than the heavier soil around it, so water can collect in that pocket. As a result, roots tend to stay in the softer, amended area and, when they eventually hit surrounding clay or compacted soil, they may circle rather than push through.

Peony Planting Site Preparation

1. Before planting, test the drainage: Fill a 12-inch hole with water. If it takes more than a few hours to clear, it’s a problem.
2. If drainage is poor, build a raised bed or add topsoil and compost to raise the area a few inches.
3. Add well-rotted compost or aged manure throughout the area, not just in the peony’s planting hole.
4. In heavy clay, add horticultural sand and organic matter. Never use fine sand; it can bind with clay and worsen compaction.
5. Break up any compacted layer below planting depth so roots can grow as deep as possible.
6. Check soil pH and adjust only if it falls outside the 6.5 to 7.0 range.

Good drainage is equally important for money trees; read our guide on growing money trees here.

Step #4: Plant at Correct Time and Depth

Autumn is the best time to plant peonies. More specifically, peonies should be planted about 6 weeks before the ground freezes.

Planting in early fall gives the root system time to establish, so the plant is ready to grow well in spring.

Avoid planting in late spring and summer, as peonies won’t establish well in hot, dry conditions. Spring planting is possible, but spring-planted peonies generally lag about a year behind those planted in the fall.

The Best Planting Depth for Peonies

Of all the mistakes you can make with peonies, planting at the wrong depth is among the most frustrating because the plant will look healthy but refuse to flower.

Depth affects bloom production far more than foliage, which means a peony can sit in the ground for years, growing well, but failing to bloom.

Here’s how deep to plant each type of peony:

• Herbaceous Peonies: Set eyes 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. When in doubt, go shallower.
• Itoh Peonies: Set eyes 1 inch below the surface.
• Tree Peonies: Graft union 4 to 6 inches below the soil. Bury the graft union well.

Depth isn’t only important on planting day. Soil settles and mulch builds up over time. If you add soil or mulch each spring, you can gradually bury a correctly-planted peony.

So, if a peony stops flowering for no obvious reason, check the crown depth first.

4 Peony Planting Steps

1. Choose your peony and be ready to plant in October (in most regions).
2. After amending a large area of soil, dig your hole and set the crown in position, measuring from the eyes or graft union to the soil surface.
3. Backfill, firm the soil gently, and recheck the level after settling, adjusting if needed.
4. Each spring, clear anything that has accumulated over the crown.

Step #5: Consider Air Circulation and Long-Term Growth

Peonies should be spaced with maturity in mind. A small plant might initially look small in a garden bed, but that’s better than a crowded plant four years later.

Crowding affects more than a plant’s appearance. When peonies are crowded by neighboring plants, they compete for light, water, and nutrients. Crowded plants get weaker stems, fewer blooms, and are more disease-prone because poor airflow can keep foliage damp.

Choose good companion plants like low-growing bulbs or short annuals, which add color and foliage without competing. Slow-growing dwarf shrubs may work near peonies for several years, but most will eventually get too big and cause issues.

How to Properly Space Peonies

1. Space herbaceous peonies at least 3 feet apart.
2. Space Itoh peonies about 2 to 3 feet apart.
3. Allow tree peonies roughly 4 to 5 feet in every direction.
4. Keep shrubs and perennials away from the base of peonies.
5. Check the area around your peonies annually and thin or move neighbors that begin to threaten their space.

Step #6: Water Peonies Deeply but Infrequently

Newly planted peonies need to be watered deeply, not shallowly. This ensures moisture reaches all the roots; it also helps peonies withstand dry summers, especially in the first 2 to 3 years. Mature peonies usually only need deep watering during dry spells.

Spring is when buds develop, so it’s the most important watering time. Water stress before or during bud development can reduce peony flower size and shorten blooming time.

Come fall, ease off watering. Cold, wet soil around the crown encourages rot.

Container peonies dry faster and have less margin for error, so you’ll need to check the soil every few days and keep moisture consistent. Using a potting mix with water-holding crystals can slightly reduce your weekly watering frequency.

5 Steps: Watering Peonies

1. After planting, water deeply to settle the soil around the roots.
2. During the first 2 to 3 years, water deeply each time the top inch of soil dries out.
3. Always water at the base, not over foliage or the crown, to reduce fungal problems. Drip irrigation is ideal.
4. Reduce watering in the fall.
5. Stop watering when the plant is dormant (when leaves have fallen off).

Like peonies, begonias require careful attention to moisture levels; read our guide to growing begonias here.

Step #7: Add Support When Peonies Are Small

Not every peony needs support, but some will require it as they grow. Itoh peonies are compact, so they usually hold themselves upright and rarely need extra support. Herbaceous singles and semi-doubles usually manage well with light support.

Herbaceous doubles, especially large-flowered cultivars like Sarah Bernhardt, are the most likely to collapse under their own weight in rain or wind. This peony type benefits from sturdy supports.

The best time to add support to (or stake) a peony is in the spring. Install support in early spring, when shoots are just a few inches out of the ground, and the plant will grow into it naturally.

Types of Peony Supports

Once stems are tall and blooms have opened, they’re heavy and hard to put into frames. By this point, the damage has already been done and usually can’t be fixed.

• Peony Rings or Hoops: This is the standard choice for herbaceous doubles. Set them low and let the plant grow through.
• Willow or Hazel Cages: A natural-looking alternative for informal or cottage-style planting.
• Stake-and-Twine: Useful for groups or rows of peonies; keep stakes at least 6 inches from the crown to avoid root damage.
• Single-Stem Staking: Use when only a few stems need support mid-season.

Remember, support height matters. A ring set too low will catch the stems before they’ve reached their natural spread. One set too high won’t catch them at all.

As a general guide, set peony rings at roughly one-third to one-half of the plant’s expected mature height.

5-Step Support Checklist

1. Install all supports in early spring when shoots are 3 to 4 inches tall.
2. For peony rings: Place low and level so stems grow through the ring and stay inside the wires.
3. For stake-and-twine systems: Keep stakes at least 6 inches from the crown.
4. Check support height occasionally and raise or adjust if stems are outgrowing it.
5. If a stem collapses before support is in place, use wood or wire single-stem stakes.

Step #8: Fertilize Sparingly

More fertilizer doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get more or larger flowers. In fact, it can mean the opposite for peonies.

A plant that’s overfed, especially with high-nitrogen fertilizer, puts its energy into producing lush, dark green leaves at the expense of buds. If this describes your peony, you’ll need to adjust your fertilizer.

How to Fertilize Peonies

When fertilizing peonies, time-release fertilizer works well. Most formulations are made to release over 3 months.

In early spring, when you see new growth, apply a light ring of well-rotted compost or aged manure around your peonies. Or, use a low-nitrogen fertilizer (such as a 5-10-10 formula) to feed roots and buds without triggering excess foliage.

Keep amendments clear of the crown, and check that repeated top-dressing has not raised the soil level around the base.

If you’re growing peonies in containers, you should feed them even more lightly, as confined roots can burn easily. One modest slow-release application in early spring is enough.

4 Steps to Fertilize Peonies Correctly

1. Feed once in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.
2. Lightly apply a layer of compost or aged manure in a broad ring around the base, 3 to 4 inches from the crown.
3. If using a commercial fertilizer, choose 5-10-10 or a similar low-nitrogen bloom formula.
4. Gently work amendments into the soil, avoiding deep digging near the roots.

Combatting Pests, Diseases, and Ants

Peonies are tough plants and fairly resistant to serious pest and disease problems. But there are two fungal diseases you need to know.

Botrytis blight is a serious disease that appears in cool, wet springs and causes shoots to rot, collapse, or produce blackened buds that fail to open. Promptly remove and discard infected stems off-site, do not compost.

Powdery mildew is more common than botrytis but less damaging. It looks like white powder on leaves and stems. It usually doesn’t kill plants, but it does gradually weaken them. Gardeners in humid southern climates should consider mildew resistance when selecting peony varieties.

Common Peony Pests

Most insect problems on peonies are minor and cosmetic. Scale, or small brown bumps along the stems, is worth watching for. When the conditions aren’t perfect, aphids, spider mites, and Japanese beetles can appear. Skeletonized leaves are a sign of beetles.

The good news is that when you cut plants back in late fall, you’ll remove insects and egg clusters along with the stems and leaves. Clear all plant debris from around the crown, then check the plant closely in spring for pests that may have overwintered in the mulch.

Ant Management

Ants are commonly associated with peonies, but they’re harmless.

The old wives’ tale that they help pollination or buds open is a myth. Ants are attracted to the sugary secretion on developing buds, and they disappear once the flowers open.

The main concern is bringing them indoors on cut stems. A firm shake is usually sufficient to get rid of any lingering ants. Never spray pesticides on open blooms to avoid harming pollinators like bees.

Step-by-Step Pest and Disease Management

1. Prevent disease by spacing plants for good airflow.
2. Always water at the base to avoid disease.
3. If you see botrytis, remove and dispose of affected stems immediately.
4. If powdery mildew doesn’t clear up after spring rains have passed, spray with neem oil or an organic fungicide.
5. Check plants in spring for insects that may have overwintered in the soil or mulch.
6. Try treating insects with neem oil first; use insecticide only as a last resort on open or near-open blooms.

Deadheading and Harvesting Peonies

Having beautiful peony flowers in your landscape is great, but having them in your house where you can see them all day is a special treat.

If you want to enjoy blooms indoors, you’ll want to cut peonies at the marshmallow stage. This is when buds are full-size, showing color, and slightly soft when gently squeezed.

Cut too early, and they may not open indoors; cut too late and they last only a day or two.

What to Do with Peonies After Harvest

After cutting, strip off any lower leaves that would sit in water.

Then, re-cut the stems at an angle while holding them under water. The angled cut creates more stem surface for water uptake. Cutting underwater helps prevent air from being pulled into the stem.

Place the freshly cut stems in clean, cool water for several hours before arranging them. If the water is changed every other day, stems usually last 7 to 10 days. Just note: Adding an aspirin to the water doesn’t keep peony flowers longer.

Deadheading Peonies

Deadheading stops peony plants from continuing to use their energy on spent flowers.

Remove spent flowers by cutting back to the first healthy leaf beneath the bloom. Don’t cut stems to the ground. Instead, leave foliage until it dies back naturally in fall.

Harvesting and Deadheading Checklist

• Cut in the coolest part of the day; early morning is ideal.
• Choose buds at the marshmallow stage, full-sized, showing color, slightly soft.
• Strip lower leaves, re-cut at an angle, and put in cool water.
• Leave as much foliage as possible on young plants.
• Change vase water every other day; keep flowers away from heat and direct sun.
• Deadhead when petals start falling.
• When deadheading, cut to the first leaf below the flower.

Pruning and Cleanup

Fall peony pruning and cleanup go hand in hand with disease and pest management. Stems, fallen leaves, and debris are where fungal problems and insect eggs overwinter, but a thorough cleanup each year breaks that cycle.

Timing matters, though. Your plant may look a little ragged in fall, but that’s natural. Wait until the plant is fully dormant before cutting. Pruning too early interrupts the dormancy process and the plant’s ability to draw energy back into its roots.

Pruning by Peony Type

Herbaceous and Itoh peonies die back completely and should be cut to just above ground level once dormant.

Tree peonies have permanent woody branches that must not be cut to the ground. Trace each spent stem back to the first healthy live bud and cut just above it, removing only dead or damaged wood. Hard-pruning a tree peony like a herbaceous peony destroys years of stem growth.

1. Wait until peonies reach full dormancy, with brown foliage and dry stems.
2. Cut herbaceous and Itoh peonies just above ground level.
3. For tree peonies, remove dead or damaged wood only.
4. Clear mulch and organic matter from the crown, checking that the eyes haven’t been buried.
5. Dispose of everything in the trash (fungal spores can survive composting).

Peonies and orchids alike can benefit from pruning their blooms; read our guide on growing and caring for orchids here.

Final Advice

Start with one peony, and you’ll have a plant that will outlive most other plants in your garden; it could even outlive you! A single plant put in the ground this fall could still be blooming in that same spot in 70 to 80 years. That’s not gardening; that’s setting up a legacy.

While peonies require modest effort, the reward is hard to put a price on. Now, go buy yourself a peony.

Happy growing!