How to Grow Peonies

Peonies are a perennial that are highly visible in flower gardens every spring. Blossoms are large and fragrant and the dark green foliage keeps the garden alive with color throughout the summer months and into the fall. The showing of these beautiful flowers makes them very popular with people all over the world.

History

The history of peonies is somewhat debatable. One accounting places them in China 4,000 years age. Shortly thereafter it’s thought the peony was adopted by the Japanese culture, where it was and still is a symbol of prosperity. At that time only the wealthiest of people grew peonies in the garden.

A second theory is that the peony was named for Greek physician, Paeon because it possessed miraculous healing powers. Legend specifies that the peony’s root was used to heal wounds during the Trojan wars.

During the 1800s, many new varieties of hybrid peonies were cultivated in France. In the US, Thomas Jefferson recorded his experiences with the peony in his journal in 1771. In the mid 19th century, peonies were imported from China.

These were bred with both English and French peonies for hardiness, new colors and blossom size and form. By 1959, hundreds of peony varieties were listed in a book that was published by the American Peony Society.

Blooms

Peony blooms range in color from white to cream and from pale pink to dark red. Blossoms vary and can be single or double, blooming in May and June. Always remove peony blooms when they are spent. If you want foliage to stay green and lush through the hot summer months, remove spent blooms before seed pods form.

Peony blooms are heavy, so plant them in an area that is protected from strong winds. Do not cut blooms until the peony plant has become well-established