There are a number of reasons why an herbaceous peony won’t bloom:
- Too young– peony plants can sometimes take up to 3 or 4 years to produce reliable blooms
- Dividing– a recently divided plant can take longer to produce blooms
- Poor nutrition– peonies are heavy feeders and like heavy soils with some clay. If you plant a peony in sandy or poor soil it will require fertilizer
- Not enough sun– peonies prefer at least 8 hours of full sun. Partial shade is ok, but they will be less likely to produce flowers
- Planted too deeply– peonies should be planted with the top eyes on the crown no deeper than two inches underground
Decline and disease caused by poor siting — peonies don’t like wet feet! Crown rot can slowly deteriorate the plant’s health and cause it to stop blooming
Peonies do best when planted in the fall. This is the time when the most root growth occurs, so you want to ensure your peonies have the best chance to get established before being subjected to summer heat. Peonies will survive if planted in the early spring- they’re very tough plants- but they may experience higher levels of stress that can impact the overall plant health.
Potted peonies can be planted any time of year. View our care calendar page for more information.
The peony garden at the Nichols Arboretum has never been routinely – if ever – fertilized since at least the 1930s – nearly a century ago!
Because of the viral and genetic research being done in the Peony Garden, we do not use any kind of chemicals that could impact the results of the study- including fertilizers and pesticides. Learn more about the research taking place in the garden.
For information on basic peony care, visit the American Peony Society website.
Generally, peonies should be divided every 3-5 years to keep them looking fresh and healthy. Studies have shown that when a peony is divided, its viral defenses are renewed and the plant is less likely to show symptoms of disease.
Because there is currently research on peony viruses being done in the Peony Garden, we generally do not divide our peonies. This allows researchers to observe the effects of disease that can’t be seen on commercial peonies, since these are regularly divided. Read more information about the research being done in the Peony Garden.
If you would like to divide your peonies, you can find a guide on the American Peony Society website.
