Today peonies are bred for their extravagant beauty, but the wild, simple-flowered peonies native to China were originally domesticated for their medicinal properties over two thousand years ago. It is peony season here in Central Ohio and given the popularity of the plants over multiple generations, you won’t have to look far to see the show. Peonies are hardy perennial plants that adapt easily to average garden conditions without much maintenance. There are two basic types of peonies that can be grown in the Midwest – garden (herbaceous) peonies and tree peonies. Garden peonies have thick, bushy foliage that reaches 2-4 feet in height and dies back to the ground each winter. Tree peonies are not truly tree-size but are generally larger than garden peonies and produce their annual growth from woody stems. They are generally a little less winter-hardy then the garden types.
Peonies grow best in well-drained, sunny locations but can adapt to a wide range of soils. Garden peonies can be purchased as either potted plants or divisions of the tubers (underground stems). The more buds on the tuber, the faster the plant will make a good showing in the garden. Planting depth is critical for good garden performance. The buds of the tuber should be set no deeper than 2 inches below the soil surface. Peonies planted too deep will produce foliage each year, but they may never bloom. With their heavy-headed blooms, they also appreciate protection from Ohio’s winds. When you give them what they need to succeed, they will reward you with showy flowers and a distinctive fragrance every spring. According to the American Peony Society, with proper care and a good site, peony plants can live for more than 100 years.
Late summer or early autumn has long been the recommended planting time for both types of peonies. This allows the plants the opportunity to establish new root growth during the cooler, moister conditions. Spring planting is possible, but be prepared to pamper the plants throughout the stressful summer with about an inch of water per week and perhaps protection from hot afternoon sun.
Remove flowers as soon as they fade to prevent seed development, which can use up needed food reserves. The faded flower should be removed just below the flower, leaving as much foliage as possible.
Peonies make excellent cut flowers for arranging indoors. Cut the stems early in the morning or late in the evening when stems are filled with water. Choose stems with flower buds that are just beginning to show color; flowers that are already open will not last long in the vase. The flower buds are loaded with fragrance and often have sticky sap, both of which help to attract pollinating insects. Unfortunately, the stickiness also attracts ants that you may not want to bring indoors. While popular garden legend says the ants are needed to open the flower buds, in fact, the ants do not perform any particular service for the flower, nor do they cause any harm. Apply a sharp spray of water from the garden hose to wash the ants away before bringing the flowers indoors.
Thinking about adding peonies to your landscape? The American Peony Society offers a list of peonies recommended for beginners at its website: https://americanpeonysociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Recommended-Peonies-for-Beginners.pdf
Spread a little Buckeye love with the ‘Buckeye Belle’ Peony….
‘Buckeye Belle’ is considered to be a very early bloomer in the world of peonies. This is one of the first peony cultivars to bloom in my landscape and seems to be about 1 weeks ahead of the others. Check out the plant description of the ‘Buckeye Belle’ by the American Peony Society “Moderately large flowers composed of four, or so, layers of large, dark mahogany red, cupped and rounded outer petals and narrower and more deeply cut central petaloids, interspersed among thick, yellow anthers. Centers can appear turbulent, varying from bloom to bloom and developing with age.”