Can Peonies Be Pruned In The Fall?

Pruning peonies in the fall is crucial for promoting healthy growth and preventing common issues. This process typically occurs after the first frost, signaling the plant to enter dormancy. By removing dead stems and leaves, you can prevent disease and insect infestations.

Herbaceous and Itoh peonies should be pruned in the fall after the first hard frost and cut away any diseased foliage as soon as you notice it. Trimping your peonies is important as it can protect against fungal disease and keep them in optimal health year after year. After deadheading your peonies, wait until the foliage has died or fully yellowed after a hard frost.

Tree peonies should be mostly left alone in the fall and early spring. In the fall and early spring, you can remove some leaves and dead branches from the plants. The best time to prune a tree peony is right after it blooms, but not in the fall like herbaceous or Itoh peonies. If you’re growing a tree peony, pruning can be done in fall or spring. In fall, remove spent flowers and cut back top growth by about a third.

Unlike herbaceous peonies, tree peonies don’t need frequent pruning at all. However, as a rule of thumb, prune herbaceous peonies in fall after the first hard frost and cut away any diseased foliage as soon as you notice it. In autumn, give tree peonies a light prune, as they generally respond well to a trim. To encourage a better growth habit, cut back the dead or diseased branches and leaves as soon as possible after deadheading.