How to Grow and Care for Peonies

Peonies are popular for growing in the garden and decorating in the home, due to their sweet scent and large, double-bloomed flowers. Peonies were originally cultivated in Asia, and the peony is a traditional symbol of Chinese culture.

Botanical Name:

Peonies

Most Popular Colors: White, pink, red.

Blooming Season: spring to early summer.

Soil Preferences: Choose rich, well-drained soil for your peony plants. Add loam to soil if you live in a clay-rich area.

Climate Preferences: Peonies are winter hardy in most temperate climates. Southern regions may be too warm for some varieties of peonies.

Sun Exposure: Peonies prefer full sun but can handle part shade.

Landscaping Tips: Peonies grow larger each year! Peonies can serve as hedges, border plants, or as large accent plants in beds.

Planting:Plant peonies just deep enough to cover the pink root buds. Space the plants 3 to 4 feet apart, and plant 1 to 2 inches deep. Water in well.

Care:

• Water the plants regularly.
• Some peonies may require plant supports or staking.
• To create larger flowers, some gardeners practice disbudding, the removal of side buds on the flower stalk as soon as buds are visible.
• Peonies require pruning only to remove spent flower heads.
• The sweet nectar of peonies plants may attract ants during the blooming season. Ants do not cause any damage to the flowers or foliage.

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