Who doesn’t adore peonies? Their show-stopping blooms and impressive longevity—they can last for decades with the right care. Both gardeners and cut flower growers love peonies for their fragrance, toughness, and timeless appeal. Since you only really need to plant them once, getting it right from the start is key. Let’s dive into what it takes to set your peonies up for years of incredible blooms.

As fall settles in, it’s time to look back at your season to see what worked and more importantly, what didn’t. While it can be quite humbling to acknowledge your flubs, it’s essential. (And we all have them!) It is through owning them and finding ways to improve, that we can improve our operations and, ultimately, the experience we offer our customers.

One Saturday morning, I was explaining to my husband the future value of the 4,000 peony roots already planted on our farm. Not the value in the flowers they produce each spring which is what most think about, but the value in the roots that are multiplying underground with time. That's when he suggested, “Why don’t you just plant more of them on our property? Use the peonies as the investment you’ve been looking for.” (How thankful am I to have a husband who truly believes in this flower thing?)

I immediately grabbed a piece of scrap paper and started crunching the numbers, and what I found was eye-opening. Let’s break it down.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me refer to my peony field as “My husband’s retirement gig.” Let me explain why.

Once a peony is established—which takes years—a single plant can produce more than 50 blooms a year. Let’s be incredibly, uber conservative and say that you harvest 15 stems per plant each season and charge a low price of $4 per stem. This would mean each plant would bring in $60 in sales per year.

It was mid-May and the last of our tulip crop had just left the farm. I finally had a chance to breathe and check on the peony field. Much to my surprise, Clair de Lune, our first peony to bloom, was starting to pop.

When I saw those soft yellow flowers, it hit me—why am I working so dang hard growing ALL the flowers when peonies bloom beautifully with minimal effort?

Peonies are the big, showy stars of the late-spring/early-summer garden. When the growing season transitions away from spring annuals and there’s a lull before summer annuals get going, peonies take center stage. While their show is short lived, they definitely make sure to make a statement while they’re around.

Peonies are the dreamy, fluffy stars of the early summer garden and a favorite for so many flower lovers. If there’s anyone who says they don’t absolutely adore them, I’m not sure I could ever believe them! In fact, they’re one of the few types of flowers I grow on my flower farm today.

So it makes perfect sense that many people anxiously await peony bloom time each year. Whether you’re a flower farmer interested in adding peonies to your flower farm or you’re a gardener wanting to add some of these beauties to your space, this resource will help you understand where and when peonies grow and bloom.

I knew in the beginning peonies would have a place at Muddy Acres Flower Farm. 7 years later and they are one of the only 5 flowers we grow. And for good reason. Once they are planted, they require minimal labor. They get better year after year. The demand for peonies is unmatched. They can be shipped across the country and the price per stem is seductive. These qualities make for a dream product.