Peonies bud good but very few bloom,Why?

Peonies are not very picky. They are very adaptable and with enough sun and water will grow almost anywhere.





It is a myth that ants are necessary to permit peonies to bloom.





Several causes for failure of peonies to bloom satisfactorily are: too deep planting, the variety, diseases (such as botrytis and viruses) and insects (thrips), immature plants, excess nitrogen, inadequate sunlight, overcrowding, nutrient deficiency, competition from roots of nearby plants or late freezes. Some cultivars will fail to bloom in zones 8 and 9 because they lack sufficient winter chilling.





If your peonies have been planted too deep, you may hurry along the flowering time by resetting them, but if they have been in place several years, they may be nearly ready to bloom since the plant ';lifts'; itself a little each year as it grows.





A few varieties of peonies are noted for their poor flower production. These may develop large buds that expand but refuse to open if weather is not perfect. Such varieties should be discarded.





Shade from buildings or trees may result in weak plants that fail to produce flowers or may bloom sparsely. If this is the problem, select a new site in full sun. Shade that did not exist at planting time could develop over a 20 year period, gradually creating problems with reduced blooms over the past few years.





Botrytis blight is caused by a fungus that over-winters on dead peony leaves, stems and roots. The easiest control is sanitation by completely removing the plant tops (bury or burn them) in September or October.





Some virus diseases may stunt and deform the growth of your peonies and cause a gradual decline. Each year the plant becomes shorter, somewhat discolored, and may fail to bloom. Remove such plants and destroy them.





Certain insects such as thrips can cause flowers to become deformed and not open. Apply the appropriate insecticide if thrip activity is noted, following label in structions.Peonies bud good but very few bloom,Why?
my mom has row of them (10-12)in her yard that were there when we moved in 17yrs ago and no one has ever done anything but mow them over when they die in the fall. the only thing i can say is that may just need sun. seriously they take care of themselves as long as the roots aren't harmed. Report Abuse
Peonies bud good but very few bloom,Why?
They have to have the perfect atmosphere, temperature, etc... No joke, they are very sensitive and any slight disturbance can affect the blossoming. Good Luck though!
They may be newly transplanted, or too old. They may not have enough ant activity, or poor soil. Good luck--peonies are my FAVES!!!


Also, hard frost may hurt blooming, as does drought or too MUCH rain.
Its the small ants that cluster and congregate on the flower before it actually blooms. These ants and the peonies share a symbiotic relationship. I hope your not wiping or spraying those ants off the plant. The ants go hand and hand or shall I say petal to petal with the plant.
I like ponies too. Maybe I'll get that instead of a munkee.
I had the same problem and discovered they were not getting enough sun. I transplanted them in a place where it was sunny all day and got tons of beautiful blooms.