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 Herbaceous or garden peonies belong to the genus
Paeonia, which is native to Asia, Europe, and western North America.
“In addition to their beauty, they can be quite long-lived,” says
Johnson. “Many plants have been growing and flowering for more than
50 years and some plantings have been recorded to be over 100 years
old.”
Depending on the species and cultivar, peonies will bloom from late
spring to early summer. According to Johnson, “Peonies were
traditionally white, blush, pink, and red in color. However, due to
breeding efforts, coral, yellow, and patterned peonies can now be
found.” In addition to a wide variety of colors, blooms also come in
a variety of different shapes. The American Peony Society recognizes
six different types of flowers: single, Japanese, anemone,
semi-double, bomb, and double.
According to Johnson, if your peonies aren’t producing buds and
blooming, there are several different things that could be causing
this:
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If you planted/transplanted peonies in the last
year or two and they aren’t producing flowers, don’t be alarmed;
it can often take two to three years for them to establish and
bloom.
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Excessive shade can also lead to poor flower
development (peonies prefer full sun, but can take some shade).
If this is the case, dig up peonies in the fall and place them
in a sunny location.
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One of the more common reasons peonies don’t
bloom is that are planted too deeply. The crown of the plant
should be no more than two inches below the soil surface.
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Overfertilizing can also reduce the bloom of your
peonies. Too much nitrogen fertilizer will cause the plants to
produce a lot of foliage and a reduced number of blooms.
Established plants with good growth only need to be fertilized
every few years, if at all. If you decide to fertilize, do so
after they are finished blooming, and use a balanced fertilizer
or one with a higher phosphorous content (the middle number on a
fertilizer package).
Ants are commonly seen on closed flower buds of
peonies, and many think the insects help pry the flower buds open.
“Despite the old wives tale, peonies do not need ants to help them
flower,” says Johnson. Peonies have glands called extrafloral
nectaries on their sepals and floral bracts that release nectar.
These are different than the nectaries that are inside of the flower
that produce nectar and provide food for pollinators. It is believed
that plants have these extrafloral nectaries to attract beneficial
insects. The beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and ants, will
feed on the nectar and protect the plant from pests, Johnson
explains.
To get rid of ants on the flowers before bringing them inside, stick
the flowers in some water and swish them around. This should remove
most of the ants.
Just like roses and other flowers, it's a good idea to remove flower
heads and/or seed pods when plants are done blooming. This will help
the appearance of the plants and also prevent the plant from sending
energy into producing seeds.
[Ken Johnson, Extension Educator,
Horticulture] |
