Growing Peonies Bulbs

When the peony is in bloom, it has the fattest, tastiest flowers and the most lush green leaves. From spring to summer, you can look at beautiful flowers. Find out how to plant, care for, and grow peonies.
About Peonies
Peonies are a type of plant that grows back every year and makes you gasp. In fact, the plants may live longer than you do-at least 100 years has been reported for some.
When are peonies in bloom? When Do Peonies Bloom?
Depending on where you live and what kind of peony you grow, peonies bloom from late spring to early summer.
Many nurseries have varieties that bloom early, in the middle of the season, and late, so you can spread out the peony season over many weeks and enjoy the beautiful flowers for as long as possible.
Peonies can grow as far south as Zones 7 and 8 and are hardy down to Zone 3. In most of the U.S., growing plants is easy. All you need is full sun and soil that drains well. Peonies even like cold winters, since they need to be chilled for their buds to form.
Peony Varieties
"Big Ben" has magenta flowers and a strong scent. "Festiva Maxima" has white blooms with bits of magenta. "Pillow Talk" has giant pink flowerheads with yellow touches. "Spider Green" has a yellow center and large white petals. "Sweet Marjorie" has sturdy dark-pink blooms.
Pruning
Peonies require little pruning. When it's done flowering, cut back any dead stems or branches. If a stem looks sick, cut it back before the part that is sick. If two branches touch each other, cut off the one you don't like. When cutting back peonies, you should always stop just above the first bud.
Propagating Peonies
The best way to spread peonies is to lift and divide the root clump, then replant the pieces right away. After about 10 years, when a peony starts to lose its strength and becomes root-bound, it may need this. Even in this case, fall is the best time to do this. Just before you want to split the plant, cut the leaves back to the ground.