Peony
Paeonia lactiflora (herbaceous) / Paeonia suffruticosa (tree peony)
📖 About this plant
The quintessential perennial for the cottage garden, peonies produce magnificent, fragrant blooms in shades of white, pink, red, coral, and yellow. The lush, glossy foliage provides excellent garden texture through summer and often turns beautiful fall colors. Peonies are extraordinarily long-lived — individual plants can thrive for 50-100+ years. Their breathtaking cut flowers are highly prized for arrangements and weddings.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
5-25°C
Deep, rich, well-draining loam with ample organic matter; pH 6.5-7.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline). Peonies will not tolerate wet feet
Apply balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in early spring as new growth emerges; top-dress with compost annually; avoid planting too deep or fertilizing too close to crown
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- China, Mongolia, Siberia (Paeonia lactiflora); China (Paeonia suffruticosa)
- 📏 Max height
- 60-90 cm (herbaceous); 1-2 m (tree peony)
- 📐 Spread
- 60-120 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Pink, Red, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Slow
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mildly toxic — all parts contain paeonol which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested in large quantities; flowers are generally considered safe for decoration; mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
- 🌱 Propagation
- Divide herbaceous peony clumps in early fall (September-October), ensuring each division has 3-5 eyes and good root system; tree peonies are grafted; seed propagation takes 5-7 years to bloom
🛡️ Health & Safety
Mildly toxic — all parts contain paeonol which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested in large quantities; flowers are generally considered safe for decoration; mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Common issues
- Botrytis blight (gray mold) on buds and stems in wet weather
- Failure to bloom from planting too deep (eyes must be within 2-5 cm of surface)
- Ants on flower buds (harmless — attracted to nectar, not causing damage)
- Flopping stems from inadequate support on heavy-blooming varieties
💡 Care tips
- Can live for over 50 years once established
- Plant bare roots in fall for best results
- Do not plant too deep or they will not bloom
- Ants on buds are normal and help open the flowers
