the clippings must be discarded—do
not compost.
Peonies respond to disbudding.
Removing the large terminal flower
bud results in smaller flowers being
produced by the plants. Often plants
that are treated in this way will not
require staking due to the decreased
weight from the removal of the large
terminal flower. Some gardeners
remove the smaller lateral flower buds
to increase the size of the terminal
flower.
other maintenance Deep, rich,
well-draining, alkaline soil is pre-
ferred. Plant from September to
October in the North and October to
November in the South. Peonies
planted in November should be
mulched. Be sure to not plant the eyes
more than about 2 in. below the soil
surface in the North, or else flowering
may not occur; planting at soil level is
recommended for southern gardens. It
usually takes 2–3 years for the plants to
become completely established. Some
other reasons peonies may fail to
flower include too much shade,
competition from tree roots, too much
nitrogen, or late-spring frosts (or
winter cold). Double forms need to be
staked, and peony rings are best for
this. Cool and wet spring weather can
cause leggy growth, thus staking may
be necessary even on lower growing
forms. Plants go for eons without
division. If desired, divide peonies in
late summer, leaving 3–5 eyes per
division. Mulch newly planted peonies
to prevent frost heaving.
related plantS Peony cultivars
such as ‘Nice Gal’, ‘Snow Swan’, and
‘Mister Ed’ have foliage that usually
holds up well through the season and
may take on interesting autumn tones.
‘Nymphe’ is an upright bush of deep
green leaves that stays attractive all
season. ‘Nice Gal’, ‘Vivid Rose’, and the
Bridal Series are examples of some
lower growing forms that generally
don’t need staking.
Paeonia tenuifolia, fernleaf peony,
should be deadheaded immediately
after flowering to reduce chance of
disease. This applies both to the
species and its many cultivars.Papaver orientale
oriental poppy
p apaveraceaeLarge red, orange, pink, white, or salmon
flowers; large coarse leaves
2–4 ft. high; 2 ft. wide
Full sun
Blooms May–June
Zones 3–7
pruning Poppies have outstanding
seed capsules that extend the season
of interest of this perennial, and
deadheading doesn’t do much to
prolong bloom. Some gardeners have
success with cutting the old foliage
and flowering stems to the ground
immediately after flowering to
encourage new but smaller growth
that remains to fill the space through
the summer. Keep plants moist after
cutting back. This pruning does not
always work, however, and a hole may
remain until the foliage returns in late
summer. If not cut down immediately
after flowering, the foliage declines
over time, usually by the end of July,
Papaver orientale
‘Patty’s Plum’