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Paeonia early flowering looks sick

ninawarmingerninawarminger Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Hi i have had this paeonia for years, it is one of the low growing early flowering ones, i split into 3 in autumn. They all flowered, but after flowering they have all turned brown (see photo).
They look diseased or something. Does anyone know what it could be and what I should do please?
Thanks 

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    There's a fungal disease called botrytis blight which attacks paeonies - sometimes before they've flowered.  It makes the foliage wilt and turn black or brown.  I've never seen it, so I can't be sure this is the problem - if you google "RHS peony problems" you might be able to decide...  cutting down the plants and burning the dead foliage would be sensible, anyway, and crossing your fingers they grow again healthily next year.

    Of course, someone with more paeony knowledge might well be able to give you a more confident answer...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • EustaceEustace Posts: 2,290
    I have had peonies for ages, but I haven't seen any go brown like that mid summer. I would cut off the remaining stems and hope the tuber produces new growth next season.
    Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
    And then my heart with pleasure fills,
    And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth :)

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've never seen that either, but I'm wondering how the peony was big enough to split into three in autumn and they all flowered this year. That's impressive!
    Mine is only just starting to turn, but they're later here to flower anyway, and mine didn't do particularly well this year.
    Perhaps it is a fungal disease as @Liriodendron says. Better safe than sorry, so destroying the foliage is probably a good idea. 

    Is any other plant in your garden looking a bit iffy @ninawarminger? The weather has certainly caused some problems over the last year or two for all sorts of plants, because of the rapid, and often severe, swings from one thing to another. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    @ninawarminger  I’ve never seen that either at this time of the year,  mine are still green.  What happened with your Phormium that seemed to go the same way, did it recover? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ninawarmingerninawarminger Posts: 6
    edited July 2023
    Hi, thanks all, i have cut the dead off and will burn and will google the desease ro.
    I have grown paeonies for years never seen this. Thanks anyway.

    And thanks to @fairygirl for the advice in the winter about my phormiun, i left it in the ground as you said and here it is, doing well. So glad I asked the question 😀 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's great that it's come away for you so well @ninawarminger. Mine all rotted away, but Cream Delight has started to recover, although it'll be another year before it begins to look ok. A few stems managed to survive right up against the edge of the raised bed.  :)

    A shame about the peonies though.  :/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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