How to grow peonies

Grow peonies in borders, siting herbaceous ones in the middle so other plants conceal the foliage, which can look tatty as plants die back. Site tree peonies towards the back of a border.

How to plant peonies

Dig a hole larger than the roots and ensure the crown (the bud tip) is 5cm below the soil surface. Ensure you don't plant them too deeply, as this will yield poor results. Autumn is the best time of year to plant, so your peony establishes before the next year’s growth. Spring is the next best time to plant, as long as you can keep your new peony watered. Whatever the time of year, water in immediately after planting.

If buying bare-root peonies, plant them as soon as they arrive. If that isn’t possible, remove packaging and keep in a bucket of compost or pop into a bed or border temporarily.

In this video guide, Monty Don show's how to plant a herbaceous peony, 'Sarah Bernhardt' and taller tree peonies. He explains how planting depth is crucial with peonies – and how to get it right.

How to care for peonies

Water during dry spells for the first year, until established. Thereafter, peonies benefit from watering during dry spring weather, giving an occasional but thorough watering as this is when buds are forming.

Once established, peonies are easy to look after. In autumn, wait for the foliage of herbaceous and intersectional peonies to die back fully before cutting to the ground. Tree peonies do not need pruning – all you need to do is remove the faded seed heads. Don’t be tempted to pick off the faded foliage, let it fall off naturally instead.

Use plant supports to prop up peonies with large, heavy flowers.

In winter, herbaceous and intersectional peonies are dormant, and once growth has been cut back there’s no way to see where they are. Marking their site with a label or similar avoids accidental damage, especially when weeding borders, to avoid stepping on the newly forming buds of the herbaceous types.

In borders, feed peonies once a year in spring or autumn with a general slow-release fertiliser and mulch the soil over the roots, keeping the crown clear.

Sometimes tree peonies form suckers around the base of the plant, which appear from below ground and have leaves that are different in appearance. Here, David Hurrion explains what to do with them:

How to propagate peonies

Divide well-established plants of herbaceous peonies in autumn, between October and early November. Use a garden knife or sharp spade to create good-sized divisions that each have three to five buds, and replant immediately into soil that has been refreshed with plenty of well-rotted compost.

How to take peony cuttings

While tree peonies are woody and not suited to division, it can be possible to propagate them by taking cuttings, layering a pliable stem, or sowing seed. Tree peonies aren’t easy plants to propagate, though, so be prepared for failure.

Take cuttings in late summer to early autumn. Prepare cuttings 10-15cm long, cutting just below a leaf joint. Dip the base in hormone rooting powder, place in a deep pot of cuttings compost mixed with a little perlite, and place in a heated propagator until rooted.

Pests and diseases

Leaves or stems with dark spots are symptoms of the fungal infection peony wilt. This is a form of botrytis that causes the stems to rot. Good air movement helps to prevent the disease, so avoid planting peonies too closely together or to closely with other plants. With older peonies that have formed dense clumps, remove the weaker, smaller stems to further encourage air movement.

Cut off any affected leaves or stems as soon as you notice dark spots on the leaves or stems, as this will help to reduce the spread of the fungus. Because peony wilt spreads easily, sterilise the blades of secateurs between each cut, using a cloth moistened with garden disinfectant or methylated spirits. Don’t compost infected material, instead, dispose of it by fire or in garden waste bins.

Great peonies to grow

Peony flowers come in a vast range of colours and shapes. Pink peonies are the most abundant, offering a wealth of shades from palest blush to rich magenta. There are also white, apricot, and red peonies, and flower shapes including single, semi-double, and fully double. Explore some of these amazing peonies in this list of best peonies to grow.

Frequently asked questions

What is the downside of peonies?

Peonies take several years to become established and start blooming strongly. While herbaceous peonies are beautiful in flower, their season is fairly short and they offer nothing of interest at other times of year.

When do peonies bloom?

Depending on the variety, peonies bloom from April to July.