When you are gardening, you would always want to see blooms in your greens, throughout all seasons. For that, it is important to know which flowers bloom at what time of the year.
With peonies, you can create a garden where flowers are blooming every season, let’s know more about them.
When do peonies bloom?
Generally, the time frame of the year when peonies bloom each year is from late spring till early summer. The blooms of peonies only last about a week to a maximum of 10 days. Several factors like climate and species of peony contribute to determining when a peony would bloom.
All peonies don’t bloom the same way. For each species of peony, the blooming time and length would be different. In effect, there are mainly two primary species of peony, Itoh peonies and Tree peonies.
Other than that, you would also come across Herbaceous peony which is a kind of common garden peony usually planted at certain times of the year.
Woodland peonies are also another category of herbaceous peonies that is the first to bloom when planted in a garden with other peonies.
Itoh peonies:
One of the main types of peonies to be planted is Itoh peonies which are known to be intersectional and comprise the characteristics of tree peonies as well as herbaceous peonies.
Since Itoh peonies are a hybrid type, they take their time to bloom and you can usually expect to see the blooms starting from the end of spring. The blooms could last for about 3 to 4 weeks and it would be summer before their last blooms sustain.
The reason they bloom for about a month is that their buds do not open all at once. They open in a sequence allowing blooms to last longer during the season.
Tree peonies:
After the first bloom of woodland peonies, tree peonies are the second in line to bloom.
In a timeframe, you may expect the middle of June to be a good time when you would see most of the beauty from tree peonies. Post the first frost, tree peonies perish and so do their blooms.
Unlike Itoh peonies, tree peonies have a short bloom and may last for only about a week.
How many times do peonies bloom a year? Will peonies bloom more than once?
If you are talking about most peonies like Itoh or tree peonies that are planted in your gardens, such peonies bloom just once every year. However, certain herbaceous peonies grow out and bloom almost every season.
In one year, when the first group of peonies blooms, each bloom may last for 7 to 10 days and weeks for certain species. However, this time of blooming can be extended by planting different species of peony plants in your garden.
Even if each blooms only once a year for a few days, having different types of peonies would mean you would always have a type that blooms at a specific time.
Peonies are thus categorized as perennials meaning they will come back and bloom every year.
What’s incredible about peonies is how they are considerably long loving, as well as resilient plants that will bloom without fail as the season approaches, but would not bloom more than once.
Do peonies bloom in their first year? How many years does it take for peonies to bloom?
In the most general scenarios, peonies do not bloom in the first year of being planted. However, very rarely there may be one or two tiny flowers in the first year, although those are smaller in size and may also be discolored.
Sometimes gardeners pinch off any first-year flower blooms. This action helps in the establishment of the root and eventually produces a bed of flowers after another year.
When a peony is planted, in its first year, you cannot expect to see blooms since the first year is when the roots of the flowering plant are grounded. As the roots become settled and grow more steadily, the second year or sometimes the third year is when blooms begin to appear.
In total, it may take from 3 to 4 years for peonies to bloom fully. It is famously said about peonies how they sleep in their first year, creep in their second, and leap in the third year of being planted.
7 facts that influence bloom time in peonies
Other than the type or species of plant that has been planted, the bloom time in peonies is influenced by several other factors.
These factors determine whether the bloom will come at the right time and for how long the bloom would last. These factors also contribute to the health and growth of plants and flowers.
Species:
Each species of peony blooms at a certain time during the season. This is one reason having different types of peonies in the garden is a great idea.
Season:
The bloom time for peonies, in general, is from late spring to early summer. During other seasons you would not see any blooms from peony plants.
Sunlight:
Bloom’s time is also determined by the amount of sunlight they are receiving. If they receive adequate sunlight every day, the peonies would bloom just on time.
The time when divided:
When a peony has been replanted or divided is a vital factor in determining when the peony will bloom and for how long.
Hence it is advised that peonies should not be replanted during late summer times.
Fertilization:
Bloom time can be affected by the amount of nitrogen a peony is receiving. Too much fertilization can hamper the natural bloom time as well.
Planting position or depth:
When peonies are planted too deeply in the ground, you might be able to see the foliage in its perfect shape but not the flowers.
Drastic weather:
Peonies don’t fare well when it is too cold or too hot.
In dry summers or freezing winters, the bloom time of peonies can be pushed back as such weather conditions damage the buds quite badly.
How do you keep peonies blooming all summer?
Since each variety of peonies only blooms for 7 to 10 days, you may follow the following tips to have your peonies bloom all summer long.
Plant varieties:
If you want your garden to have blooming peonies from spring to summer, you would have to plant all varieties of peonies, starting from tree peonies to Itoh peonies.
Make timely cuts:
The time at which you cut is important as it can determine the bloom timeframe as well as shape.
Water regularly:
Watering them regularly can make their blooms last longer with the right weather conditions in play.
Why are my peonies not blooming?
If you have planted peonies in your garden, and they are not blooming, it may be due to several reasons. First of all, you may want to check if it’s in the blooming season. Without bloom season, your peonies would not bloom.
Apart from that the type of peony you have would also determine whether it is time to bloom. However, if the season is right and your peony is not blooming, check if it is receiving at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.
Moreover, if you have planted your peonies in more than 2 inches depth, you can expect to not see much bloom as well. If your peonies are not blooming, you may have replanted or divided them in an untimely season.
Additionally, your peonies might not be blooming if you have added too much fertilizer. Although rare, pests can also destroy peony flower buds preventing any proper bloom.
When do peonies bloom in different parts of the country?
Peonies bloom at different times in each country as each land has disparate climate and soil conditions. Here is a timeline for peonies to bloom in each of these states in the country:
Massachusetts:
In Massachusetts, peonies usually bloom later into the season. Here you would see the blooms appear during mid May and throughout June.
California:
In California Peonies bloom from late February to the beginning of May depending on the species of plant.
Tree peonies are usually first to bloom, followed by herbaceous. Itoh peonies are usually late bloomers during the season.
Michigan:
In this state, peonies usually bloom from April to June with tree peonies being the first to bloom in April.
Texas:
In Texas, the bloom season for peonies begins in February and persists through early April.
Final Thoughts
Although the blooming time for peonies is from late spring to early summer, with tree peonies blooming first. Several factors determine the bloom time for peonies including the species. Weather conditions and the external environment also determine the bloom time of peonies.