Do Peonies Need Ants to Bloom?

Often you may hear the question, “Do peonies need ants to bloom?” This is not true. Ants do not help the buds to open and there is no need for them. However, ants are beneficial to the environment and provide a food source for the other insects in the garden.

If you have peonies in your garden, you may notice an occasional ant. These ants are a sign that your peony bloom is in good shape.

If you find ants on your peonies, you can safely remove them. The most effective way is to shake them. You can also remove them by dipping the flowers in water. You should not use insecticides to kill the ants. Insecticides can also harm the plants you are spraying.

If you don’t want to disturb the ants, you can keep the peony bloom inside. This can work as long as the flower buds are soft. You can also keep the peony flowers in the refrigerator, if you want to extend the bloom.

If you want to pick peonies early, you should pick them at the marshmallow stage. This stage is when the buds are soft and have just begun to unfurl.

You can cut peonies at this stage and store them in a refrigerator for a few weeks. You can also roll them up in newspaper and wrap them in a plastic bag. This way, you can keep them for several months without damaging the flowers.