Peonies for Sale from Breck's
The peony or paeony is a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia and is native to Asia, Europe and Western North America. Peony flowers are popular for growing in the garden and decorating in the home, due to their sweet scent and large, double-bloomed flowers. Breck's peony collection is the best place to buy peonies and find peonies for sale.. Try these large, delicate flowers yourself and discover why a well-grown peony bush becomes a heritage plant for generations.
Peony Roots: History, Expertise, Packaging and Shipping
Breck’s has decades of experience selecting and cultivating premium peony roots, focusing on proven cultivars and robust clumps that establish quickly. Our specialists evaluate field-grown herbaceous peony varieties for vigor, fragrance, and form, then lift, cure and grade the roots for consistency. To ensure plant health and longevity, bare root peonies are freshly harvested, allowed to rest, and packed in breathable material with moisture-retaining medium. Each shipment is timed to your hardiness zone, so your bare root peony plants arrive at the ideal planting window. Secure boxing prevents damage in transit, and clear labels help you plant each peony bush correctly for long-term success.
Best Practices for Buying and Where to Order
When you’re ready to buy bare root peony plants, choose Breck’s for true-to-name varieties, freshly harvested roots, and shipping scheduled for your hardiness zone. Breck’s lists clear planting instructions and sends multi-eyed, firm, disease-free roots—never dried out or mushy. Purchasing from Breck’s helps ensure strong establishment and abundant blooms. Explore Breck’s selection of bare root peonies for sale, backed by a solid guarantee and timed delivery, then compare cultivars by color, bloom time, and mature height to design a season-long display.
Peony Plant Tips & Growing Instructions
Our bare root peonies are easy to grow and make striking additions to any garden. These herbaceous perennials (genus Paeonia, family Paeoniaceae) originate from Asia, Europe, and western North America. They produce large, often fragrant blooms in late spring to early summer, in colors like purple, red, white, and yellow. Peonies prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 6.5–7.0) and thrive in full to partial sun. Ideal for borders, walkways, hedges, problem spots, and as showy centerpieces or cut flowers.
When to Plant Peonies
Fall is the ideal time of year for planting bare root peonies, although this can also be done after spring’s last frost. Fall planting allows roots to settle and develop feeder roots before winter, typically leading to stronger stems and improved bloom success the following spring compared to later plantings. The addition of organic matter to the soil is always useful and advisable. Space your bare root peonies 3–4 feet apart in your garden, setting them into the soil at a depth of 2–3 inches, making sure the eyes are facing the skies. Gardeners in the South looking to plant early-blooming peonies should wait until fall’s end, set the roots at a depth of 1 inch under the soil, and provide some cover against the sun. Pack the soil firmly around the roots and water well. Check on the plants regularly as they're developing and irrigate whenever the soil appears to be drying up.
Where to Plant Peonies
Peonies are low-maintenance perennials grown from roots set about 2 inches deep and spaced 3–4 feet apart in well-drained soil. They prefer full to part sun and thrive in hardiness zones 3–8 (use our zone finder to confirm). Plants reach about 3 feet tall with large 5–7 inch blooms, tolerate cold winters, and seldom need fertilizer. They’re generally resistant to deer and disease but may need staking when heavy flowers bend stems. Though division isn’t required, plants can be divided and shared. Long-lived—often up to 100 years—peonies make enduring landscape plants with glossy foliage that remains attractive after bloom. They pair well with roses and are excellent cut flowers.
How to Care for Peony Plants
With a little seasonal care, peonies will reward you year after year with lush, fragrant blooms. Follow these tips to keep your plants healthy and thriving:
- Early Spring: Water well if spring rains don't do it for you. Side dress plants with compost or aged manure. If botrytis blight was present the previous season, cover ground around your peony flowers with a thin (one-quarter inch) layer of sand and spray new shoots with Bordeaux mix or lime sulphur. Set stakes or other supports in place now.
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Mid-Spring: Watch for signs of botrytis blight and treat as needed, remove any diseased tissue immediately. Train through plant supports as peony plants grow. Remove side buds if exhibition-size blooms are desired.
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Late Spring: Deadhead peonies religiously and remove all fallen petals or blooms from the garden.
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Summer: Herbaceous Peonies do best with an inch of water a week.
- Fall: Cut stems of Herbaceous Peonies back to soil level and remove from the area. Dig and divide plants now if necessary. Mulch new plantings with evergreen boughs or salt marsh hay after the ground freezes.
Learn more about how to grow peonies from the experts at Breck's!
Peony Plant FAQs
Are Peonies Perennials?
Yes, peonies are perennials. These gorgeous and resilient flowers can be planted in tough spots and can withstand rocky and sandy soil, as well as direct sunlight. As a perennial, a peony plant will come back year after year. Peonies are sun perennials and hardy to Zone 3—meaning that they'll regrow every year in all but the coldest weather—and can withstand warm summers into Zone 7 and 8. With proper care, these flowers are a true garden investment. Peony flowers will keep coming back, season after season!
When Do Peonies Bloom?
Peony plants bloom in late spring to early summer. Don't be disappointed, however, if your peonies fail to bloom the first year and have only a few blossoms the second season. It usually takes three years for a bush and itoh peony to attain mature size. Tree peonies take even longer to reach mature size. Once planted, your peonies can be left to grow undisturbed indefinitely.
When Should You Buy Peonies?
To determine when to buy peonies, you'll need to know when you can plant peonies in your area. For most varieties, the right planting time is fall, after the temperatures have dropped during both the day and night. Fall planting allows your bulbs to settle, and provides a cold period before the plants wake in spring. However, some peony plants can be planted in springtime—check your favorite variety.
When you buy peony plants from Breck's, we make sure you get your peonies at the right time. By taking your hardiness zone, we know when the best time to plant is and will ship your peony bulbs or peony roots out according to the proper planting times. Breck's is the best place to buy peonies, with our lifetime guarantee and timed zone shipping!
What are the Three Types of Peonies?
There are three different types of peonies: the Herbaceous Eurasian, the Asian Tree, and the North American peonies. The main difference between the three is location, size, and when each blooms.