Planting peonies in the Deep South can be a bit of a challenge, but if you’re eager to bring these majestic blooms into your garden, autumn is the ideal season to do so. The cooler temperatures help them acclimate and develop robust roots before the intense summer heat arrives. Discover the optimal planting times for peonies and the most suitable types for Southern gardens.
Peonies thrive predominantly in cooler climates found in the Upper and Middle South. Nevertheless, residents of Mississippi and southern Georgia can still cultivate certain varieties to admire.
Herbaceous peonies are perennial plants that emerge in spring, with their foliage eventually dying back to the ground in late autumn. Most of these peonies have Asian origins and are descended from Paeonia lactiflora. They can be showcased as standalone plants or in groups within the garden and make outstanding cut flowers. However, most garden peonies struggle with excessive heat and humidity, particularly during their blooming period. For those in warmer climates, opting for early-blooming varieties is advisable.
Here are some recommended varieties for Southern gardens:
- Festiva Maxima (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Festiva Maxima’): This early bloomer boasts a delightful fragrance and features double white petals with striking crimson speckles on a few central petals. It retains its beauty even after being cut.
- Sarah Bernhardt (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’): This variety blooms later in the season with deep rose-pink double flowers, with heavy flower heads requiring garden support.
- Kansas (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Kansas’): A fragrant, early to mid-season bloomer with vivid red double flowers, this variety is a reliable bloomer that doesn’t fade throughout the season.
- Shirley Temple (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Shirley Temple’): An early bloomer with double light rose blooms that fade to white, these exceptionally large blooms can reach 8 inches in diameter.
Tree peonies, also herbaceous peonies derived from Paeonia lactiflora, are classified as Paeonia x suffruticosa. These peonies present as upright, coarsely branched flowering shrubs that can grow up to 6.5 feet tall. They bloom from mid-spring to late spring, with a mature tree peony capable of producing 75 to 100 large blooms over a two-month period. They can be difficult to grow in warmer climates due to their need for a winter chilling period to ensure reliable blooming in spring.
Here are some recommended varieties for Southern gardens:
- Rimpo (Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Rimpo Peony’): This peony features red or purple-black double petals surrounding golden stamens, blooming from late spring to early summer. It can reach a height and width of 7 feet.
- Shima Nishiki (Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Shima Nishiki’): This tree peony produces red or white flowers, often with red and white stripes. It is a smaller variety, reaching only 3 to 4 feet, with blooms measuring 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
- Cup of Shining Night (Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Cup of Shining Night’): Growing up to 6 feet in height and width, this tree peony produces semi-double dark red or maroon blooms with dark flares, supported by hardy stems.
Itoh peonies, or intersectional peonies (Paeonia x Itoh Series), are crosses between herbaceous peonies and tree peonies. They are more heat and humidity-tolerant than herbaceous hybrids and grow well in USDA hardiness zones 6-9. Itoh peonies produce long-lasting blooms that can reach 8 inches in diameter on sturdy stems. The plants die back to the ground in winter but emerge with lush, dark green foliage and a plethora of vibrant blooms over a six-week span.
Here are some recommended varieties for Southern gardens:
- Bartzella (Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid) x ‘Bartzella’): This variety features large, bright yellow double blossoms with a hint of red at the center and a subtle spicy aroma. The plant matures to 3 feet tall.
- Keiko (Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid) x ‘Keiko’): Producing large, semi-double to double, lightly fragrant flowers on strong stems, this plant has a compact mound of dark green foliage. The petals fade from dark lavender-pink to soft pink, revealing a cluster of yellow stamens at the center.
- White Emperor (Paeonia (Intersectional hybrid) x ‘White Emperor’): Growing to 24-36 inches tall, this variety produces semi-double white flowers with light purple flares and blooms early in the season.
For the best results, wait to plant peonies until the soil temperatures consistently drop below 50 degrees. The colder temperatures will induce full dormancy in the plant and reset the growth buds. In the Upper South, plant them in October before the ground freezes. Gardeners in the Middle and Lower South have a bit more flexibility and can plant into November and early December.
Choose a planting location that receives full morning sun and dappled afternoon shade to help maintain cooler soil temperatures. Since peonies prefer not to be transplanted, select a site where they can remain undisturbed for at least 3 to 4 years.
Peonies thrive in fertile soil rich in organic matter. If you have clay soil, incorporate plenty of compost to improve drainage. Have the soil tested to ensure peonies prefer a neutral pH, though they can tolerate slight acidity.
- Most peonies are sold bare-root. Once the soil has been amended, use a garden spade to dig a shallow hole. If the peony is in a container, the hole should not be deeper than the container.
- Position the roots with eyes or buds just 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. In warmer climates, they can be planted even more shallowly, just 1/2 to 1” below the soil surface. Planting too deeply can reduce bloom production.
- Space the plants around 24 inches apart to ensure adequate airflow when the foliage appears in spring.
- Cover the roots with soil, water deeply, and add a two-inch layer of mulch.
- Continue watering every 10 days unless there is sufficient rainfall to aid root establishment.
New or transplanted peonies may not bloom until their third year. They prefer to take their time to settle in, endure a couple of cold winters, and test your patience before they begin to showcase their beauty.
Peonies require the most moisture in spring as they emerge from dormancy and again in fall as they prepare for next year’s blooms. The soil should remain evenly moist with about one inch of water per week from rainfall and/or irrigation.
After the blooming period, apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer and again in late summer around the dripline of the plants to boost flower production. If planted in fertile soil with composted mulch, they may not need any additional fertilization.
Deadhead spent blooms by cutting the flower stalks down to just above a strong leaf. In colder climates, foliage naturally dies back each fall, but in the Lower South, you may need to help induce dormancy by cutting all types of peonies back to the ground in November.
- Botrytis blight and mildew can be problematic for peonies in the South due to the heat and humidity. Remove any diseased or wilted stems promptly to prevent the spread. Dispose of the stems in a plastic bag in the trash. If the issues persist, use a weekly spray of fungicide following the product instructions. Clean up peony beds thoroughly in the fall to help prevent reinfection next year.
- Pests like thrips, mealybugs, and beetles can be managed with neem oil or organic pesticides. Ants attracted to the nectar of peony blooms can be a bit pesky but are harmless.
- For taller varieties, consider staking them to protect them from strong winds. In colder zones, mulch the garden bed well to prevent root freezing.
- If your peonies are not flourishing after a few years, consider digging them up in the fall and replanting them so the roots are not too deep, or moving them to a different location.
- Avoid cutting too many flowers from each plant for indoor arrangements to ensure a bountiful bloom season next year.
