Can You Cut Down Peonies After They Bloom?

The main reason for cutting back peonies is plant health, as they can be controlled by removing diseased foliage during the growing season and by cutting back the entire plants after the end of the growing season in the fall. Tree peonies should not be cut back to the ground yearly but can be pruned for health and shape after blooming is finished. The best time to prune a tree peony is right after it blooms, not in the fall like an herbaceous or Itoh peony. You can do a light pruning in the spring before the shrub blooms, using clean pruners.

When pruning peonies depends on the method and purpose you have for pruning, but as a rule of thumb, you should prune herbaceous peonies. The main signal to look for when it comes to cutting back your peonies is the leaves. If the leaves are still green, they are still using sunlight to feed the roots. As autumn approaches, knowing the right time and method to cut back your peonies is essential for ensuring their health and vibrant blooms year after year.

You can trim off the dead peony blooms but leave the foliage intact. The plant needs all its leaves to build up the blooms for next year. Similarly, you can cut off the bloom stalks of Stella d’Oro when a cycle of bloom is done. The best time to cut back peonies depends on your region, but waiting until the foliage has died or fully yellowed after a hard frost is recommended.