Peony: when to plant and care
Plant in fall with eyes no deeper than about 2 inches; needs winter chill.
| Botanical name | Paeonia lactiflora |
|---|---|
| Type | perennial |
| USDA zones | 3–8 |
| Sun | full sun |
| Water | moderate |
| Bloom | late spring |
| Mature size | 2–3 ft |
| Planting time | Spring after the last frost, or early fall |
Gives roots several weeks to settle before heat or freeze.
Example dates
| Place | Dates |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX (78701) | spring: Mar 10–Apr 21; fall: Sep 22–Oct 13 |
| Atlanta, GA (30303) | spring: Mar 24–May 5; fall: Sep 13–Oct 4 |
| St. Louis, MO (63101) | spring: Apr 1–May 13; fall: Sep 9–30 |
| Chicago, IL (60614) | spring: Apr 10–May 22; fall: Sep 10–Oct 1 |
| Denver, CO (80202) | spring: Apr 30–Jun 11; fall: Aug 17–Sep 7 |
| Seattle, WA (98101) | spring: Mar 13–Apr 24; fall: Sep 22–Oct 13 |
Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.
Find perennials: Lowe's · The Home Depot · Amazon
Retailer links are plain search links. We don't earn anything from them today; if we join a retailer's affiliate program later, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources
Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.