Peony dead?

Discussion in 'Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, Ferns and Bulbs' started by GreenLeaf, Nov 5, 2005.

  1. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    I planted peonies (roots) this spring and they both grew up with one stem each and a few leaves. In September one of the stems died and disappeared. I don't know if that plant is dead or it's just resting for autumn. Strange thing, the other plant's stem is still up even right now!

    Is the stemless plant dead or resting? Should I dig it up and check? But I don't want to disturb it (if it's resting). But I'm quite curious to check on its condition...

    Thanks for any help!

    Oh, and the peony I'm talking about is the regular peony, not tree peony.
     
  2. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    So, what you have are herbaceous peonies. They have leaf and flower stalks, but do not really have a noticeable stem, unlike the tree peonies (which are small shrubs or trees). When they go dormant and prepare for the winter, everything that you see above ground will die. The leaves in our USDA cold hardiness zone 7 area are already dead. I am not sure what kind of hardiness zone you are in. But if it is the same or colder than ours, it is more than likely that your plants have entered a state of dormancy - i.e., prepared to go to to "sleep" for the winter. My suggestion is not to disturb them at all. Keep the location well marked so you won't dig into it accidentally. In the spring, check for new growths. Digging it up is unnecessary, because it is unlikely that it will help you to decide to do anything differently, unless you want to plant something else in the same location instead.

    You can dig it up if you want to or if you are really curious. If you do, check to make sure that the roots are still succulent and fresh and that there are turgid pointee buds at the "crown". But a less invasive way of checking it would be to gently brush away the soil at the crown and look for those same buds.
     
  3. Sage

    Sage Member

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    3 years ago I planted 2 different peonies...The first spring they did like you mentioned, A stem and a few leaves, the next year more leaves and a few more stems and one had 2 flowers and the other one had 1 flower this year, the third year they had many stems, leaves & flowers. Like was also mentioned, they do die back (go dormant) in the fall or sometimes if it has been a very dry summer and you didn't water regularly, they wil;l go dormant sooner, but if it was me, I would wait until next spring and see if they come up..or brush the dirt away from the crown and check it. I would guess it has gone dormant for the winter already.
     
  4. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks for the help, everyone!

    Yeah, I do live in Zone 7 and the other peony with the stem remaining has gone dormant too. I tried to stick my finger down the soil and felt some bumps. I think the root is still there. Hopefully next year the two peonies will grow bigger. This year they were only 4-5 inches tall, which is pitiful compared to those huge peonies other people have (which drew my attention in the first place). Well, sounds like next year will be nice--can't wait :) !
     
  5. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    Patience will be rewarded. It takes time for a clump of herbaceous peony to establish itself to the point when it will give bloom reliably. You might get a bloom or two in the second year, but don't be too disappointed if you don't. In the coming season's active growth period, feed it well to encourage more vegetative growth, which in turn builds up reserves for the following season's growth, and, probably, flowers. It also does best in a sunny spot. Make sure the "crown" of the the plant isn't planted too deeply - deep planting discourages flowering. If you have it planted too deeply, just clear away the top layer of soil until you can just about feel the firm tips of the dormant buds. The two clumps in our garden actually has the buds just visible above the soil level.
     

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