How to Grow Peony
Peony At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -40°C
Plant Family
Paeoniaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a bare-root peony (a root crown with pink buds called eyes) or a potted plant, and plant it in fall, about 6 weeks before your first fall frost. Set it so the eyes sit only 2 to 5 cm below the surface, since a peony planted deeper grows leaves but never flowers. Give each plant 90 cm of room, in full sun and rich soil that drains well.
A peony can live 50 years or more in the same spot, so choose its place well, because it dislikes being moved. It may give few flowers the first year or two, then blooms more every year. The ants you see on the buds are harmless: they only come for the sweet sap.
When To Start
Peony likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Peony?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Peony Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Peony Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant peony crowns shallow, eyes only 2 to 5 cm deep
45 days before your first frost· every year
Cut peonies at the soft bud stage and support stems
45 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Cut peony stems and leaves to the ground for fall
2 weeks before your first frost· every year· optional
Water your new peony plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your peony is settling in underground. Keep the soil lightly moist and mark the spot so you do not dig there by mistake.
About 30 days after you plant it
Peonies take their time, so be patient with yours! They often need a season or two before they bloom well.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Peony's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
90 cm
Plant Spacing
30 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give peonies full sun, at least 6 hours a day, and rich soil with plenty of compost that drains well.
- 2Water deeply once a week in their first summer, and after that only in long dry spells.
- 3Spread compost or worm castings around the plant each spring, but keep it off the eyes.
- 4Put a support ring over the plant in spring before it gets tall, since the heavy flowers flop in rain.
- 5Grey mould can brown the buds and stems in wet weather, so give the plants room for air and cut the leaves down every fall.
- 6Peonies are mildly toxic to people, cats and dogs if eaten, so keep pets from chewing them.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
90 cm
Mature Height
90 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms late spring to early summer; cut at the soft 'marshmallow' bud stage
How to Harvest
- 1For the vase, cut stems when the buds show colour and feel soft like a marshmallow, just before they open.
- 2Leave at least half the leaves on each plant so it can feed next year's flowers.
- 3Snip off faded flowers in the garden to keep it tidy.
- 4In fall, cut all the stems down to the ground and put them in the trash, not the compost, to clear away disease.
- 5After that, leave it alone, since the less you fuss, the better a peony does.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Still have a question?
Ask your coach about your peony.
This page covers what we thought to write down. Your peony will do something it never mentions, and that is the day a coach beats a guide. Ask Coach Lumen one question right now, free, no account.
