Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
Family Paeoniaceae
A peony in full late-spring flounce is the most flower you can get from one stem — fat, fragrant, ruffled blooms that florists charge dearly for and one old plant gives away by the armload. Cut at the soft-marshmallow bud stage, they open indoors like slow fireworks.
Plant one well and you've made a decision your grandchildren inherit — peonies routinely outlive their planters, thickening in the same spot for a century. Hardy in zones 3-8, unbothered by neglect once settled, mildly off-limits to nibbling pets. Choose its place like it's staying, because it is.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Slow growth
Attracts bees
Juglone-sensitive
From the print shop
Growing peony? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries peony — Paeonia lactiflora, print Nº 359, “Peony.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what peony actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Peony · Common problems
Common peony problems
Pests
2 problems on file
- None significant
- Rose Chafer
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Botrytis Blight (wet springs)
- Powdery Mildew
Peony · Growing & propagation
Growing peony
- Light
- Full Sun
6+ hrs for bloom
- Water
- Moderate
Established plants handle drought
Soil- Rich, Deep, Well-drained · pH 6.5 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Low-nitrogen (bulb food) after bloom
Overfeeding = leaves no flowers.
Pruning- Fall
Cut herbaceous types to ground after frost — Remove all foliage to trash (not compost) in fall — botrytis prevention.
Spacing- 3-4 ft
How to plant & propagate peony
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Peony · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The peony growing playbook
When to spray peony
Dormant season. Fall cleanup IS the spray program.
Growing season. Rarely needed if fall cleanup is done.
Peony · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Peony · Yearly calendar
The peony year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomMay to June
PruneSeptember to November
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Peony · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Paeonia lactiflora
Peony in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
Attracts- Bees
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
- Juglone
- Peony is sensitive to juglone
The toxin exuded by black walnut, butternut, and their relatives. Keep it 50+ ft from any walnut or hickory, or its leaves will yellow, wilt, and die back for no obvious reason.
What peony is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic to pets
Use- Cut flowers
- Use
- Landscape
- Use
- Heirloom
Harvesting & storing peony
Cut at marshmallow-soft bud stage for vase.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Peony · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a peony variety
'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Festiva Maxima', 'Bartzella' (Itoh)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Paeonia lactiflora
- Plant family
- Paeoniaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- PALA27
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Peony
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Peony questions, answered straight.
Is peony safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic to pets Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest peony?
Cut at marshmallow-soft bud stage for vase.
How do you propagate peony?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where peony sits in the library.
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