Greetings, fellow gardener. I am Paeonia lactiflora, though you may know me as the common garden peony, Chinese peony, or herbaceous peony. For centuries, I have been cherished for my lavish, often fragrant, blooms that signal the true arrival of spring. If you wish for me to thrive in your US garden, you must understand my nature. I am a plant of patience and permanence, and I ask for a thoughtful beginning for a lifetime of beauty.
My most critical requirement is the planting site itself. I am a long-lived perennial, and I deeply resent being moved. Therefore, you must choose my home with great care. I crave sunlight—at least six hours of full sun each day. In the hottest regions of the US (USDA zones 8-9), I will appreciate some light afternoon shade to protect my blooms from scorching. My roots are my lifeblood; they cannot tolerate standing in water. Well-draining soil is non-negotiable. While I am adaptable, I truly flourish in a rich, fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral loam. Before planting, please enrich the soil with generous amounts of compost or well-rotted manure. This provides the nutrients and structure my roots need to establish themselves for decades.
Planting depth is the single most important factor for my flowering. My "eyes"—those small, reddish buds on my root crown—must be positioned correctly. In most of the United States (USDA zones 3-7), you should plant me so that my eyes are no more than 2 inches below the soil surface. If you plant me too deeply, I will put all my energy into leaf growth and refuse to bloom for years. The best time to plant my bare roots is in the fall, ideally from late September to November. This allows my roots to establish themselves in the cool soil without the stress of supporting top growth, preparing me for a strong showing the following spring. Dig a wide hole, place me gently, and backfill with the amended soil, watering thoroughly to settle me in.
While I am quite drought-tolerant once established, consistent moisture is key, especially during my first year and during the bud-forming period in spring. Water me deeply once a week, allowing the water to reach my deep roots, rather than frequent shallow sprinklings. A layer of organic mulch, like shredded bark or compost, around my base (but not touching my stems) will help retain moisture and suppress weeds. As for food, I am not a heavy feeder. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a top-dressing of compost applied in early spring as my new shoots emerge is sufficient. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they will promote weak, leafy growth at the expense of your magnificent flowers.
My large, heavy blooms, particularly those of double varieties, can be a burden to my stems. After a rain, they may bow down to the ground. To prevent this, please provide me with a peony ring or other support in early spring as I begin to grow. This will allow my foliage to grow through and conceal the support, holding my flowers upright for all to admire. In the fall, after my foliage has died back naturally (do not cut it green!), you may cut my stems down to ground level and remove the debris. This helps prevent disease. Then, simply leave me to my winter dormancy. I require a period of cold to set buds, so I am perfectly suited to winters across much of the US. A light mulch after the ground freezes can be beneficial in very cold zones, but remember to remove it in early spring.
