Collection: Perennials - Peony Plants

There are 3 kinds of Peonies

We have the herbaceous perennials that thrive in colder climates from zones 3 - 8.  In hotter climates they're going to need a lot of shade in the afternoon.

ITOH Peonies are hybrids, crosses between the herbaceous perennial and the tree peonies. Their blooms often come a bit later than the herbaceous peonies. 

Both the herbaceous and the ITOH die back down to the ground every frost just to pop back up in the spring. 

Tree peonies bloom earlier than the other two, around April or May and they are a little less cold-hardy as they're zoned 4-9. 

Peonies are long-lived and a single bush may live for 50 years! They're easy to care for, great for cut flowers to bring indoors, and tend to bloom in late spring and early summer. 

When planting choose carefully. They don't like to be transplanted once they're settled. And they dont' require division. Plant them 3-4 feet apart. They don't need staking usually but do plant them where they have protection from strong winds.  Peonies may not produce many blooms the first year you put them in the ground but give them time to get settled and they'll reward you handsomely! 

They appreciate the occasional deep watering especially during the hot months and appreciate a low-nitrogen fertilizer once at the beginning of the growing season and then halfway through.  High nitrogen fertilizer will weaken the stems and you'll see less flowers. Adding a mulch can help retain water in the soil. 

Once winter comes, go ahead and clear out the dead plant foliage and old mulch to protect it from any overwintering disease. You can put down a fresh layer of mulch from loose straw or evergreen boughs. 

They have a friendly relationship with ants so if you see ants on your Peonies just know they're eating the few pests that bother Peonies.