Why Are There Ants on My Peony Flowers?
Do peonies really need help from ants to bloom? Garden folklore says that ants “tickle the buds” to help the flowers open. Peonies and ants do have a mutually-beneficial relationship, but it’s not quite what you may think. Here’s the story about peonies and ants—plus, tips on how to bring peonies indoors without the ants.
In late spring, we rejoice in the breathtakingly beautiful peony blossoms. However, those of us with peonies in our garden may also notice the ants’ arrival, especially around the peony’s base or on unopened buds.
Are Ants Harmful to Peonies?
Let’s get this first question out of the way. No. Absolutely not. Don’t bother brushing off those ants—or, worse, breaking out the insecticide!
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Not only are ants NOT harmful, they are actually an example of biological mutualism. The peonies provide nectar (food) for the ants; the ants protect the peonies from aphids, thrips, and other non-beneficial insect pests.
Do Peonies Need Ants to Bloom?
The enduring myth is that peonies require ants to open their buds. You may have heard that ants need to “tickle the buds” or “lick the sugar” for the peonies to bloom.
Nope. A peony will open beautifully without the presence of ants.
As with most folklore, there may have once been a hint of truth to this claim, but we haven’t seen evidence for it yet. (We also like this folklore because it keeps both peonies and ants alive, and allows nature to take its course!)
Why Ants Are Attracted to Peonies
Ants are simply attracted to the sugary droplets (nectar) which is present at the base of the green sepals that surround a peony bud. This is a great food source for ants, containing not only sugars, but also amino acids, lipids, and other organic compounds.
The ants are NOT eating the peonies. When a scout ant finds the nectar on the peony, she emits a pheromone or odor trail on the way back to her nest. At the nest, the scout alerts other ants of the food source. The recruited ants then follow the odor trail back to nectar on the peony flowers.
In turn, the ants actually provide the plant with some protection! While the ants are feeding on the nectar, they protect their food source by attacking other bud-eating pests by stinging, biting, or spraying them with acid and tossing them off the plant.
Also, the ants are temporary. Once the peony blossoms, the ants will leave the peony flower and move on to seek other food sources.
Again: If you do NOT have ants (perhaps you live on a rooftop), the peony blossoms would open regardless of the ants’ presence.
How to Get Rid of Ants on Peonies Before Bringing Indoors
We treasure our pink, red, and old-fashioned white peonies in the garden, but also like to fill the house with their beauty and fragrance. However, how do we avoid bringing the ants inside, too?
There are a few methods:
- Cut the peony early in the morning when the dew is still heavy and most of the ants haven’t arrived. Hold the peonies by the stem just below the flower (so their head doesn’t snap off) and turn the flowers upside down. Give the flowers a few good taps on the stems just up from the flowers. This helps dislodge insects and arachnids. Use the amount of force appropriate for the stem.
- Fill a big bowl with cool water outside, then dip each peony bloom and watch the ants come out. Don’t fill the bowl too much, or they will be able to crawl out. Then gently shake/tap the water off the flower and put the stem into a ready vase so that they won’t pick up more ants. You can then release the ants and the water in the bowl back into nature.
Yet another method by professional growers is to cut the peony flowers before buds fully open. However, you need to cut the peony at the “marshmallow” stage (see picture above) in order for the buds to open indoors.
So now you know the story about ants and peonies! See the Almanac’s Peony Growing Guide for information on planting, varieties, and plant care.
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I brought some beautiful peonies from my mom's when she passed, they were big big beautiful flowers and after a couple years the ants built a anthill in them and now they only get about three inches tall and only two shoots come up.
What can I do to help keep them alive.. their dying after the ants got to them. I'm so broken 💔.
I DO NOT KNOW WHY, BUT LAST YEAR I SPRAYED FOR TERMI TES NEAR MY PEONIES, AND THE CHEMICAL KILLED THE ANTS. FIRST TIME MY PEONIES DID NOT OPEN . SAME THING THIS YEAR, AFTER I SPRAYED. THINK I WILL LISTEN TO THE OLD TIMERS ON THIS ONE..
Great article. There are quite a few peonies on my property that were planted by the previous owners. The ants always were a problem so I didn’t really enjoy the flowers. This article has changed my attitude to these lovely, antsy blooms. Thank you.
I have had my peony for about 30 years now. I brought them from my grandmothers house. However I think I may have planted them too deep. They aren't blooming like they should. I wonder if I might have planted them too deep, or if moving them would help them thrive? Maybe they miss her as much as I do.
I know you miss your grandma but what a great way to be reminded of her and having such beautiful blooms to enjoy. If planted too deep? Try digging the root ball ( a bit bigger ) and put dirt underneath to lift.
Mine are 1” and they are doing great. Also it takes a year or two to be settled , good luck
Most articles say plant no deeper than 1 to 2 inches; the sun must "touch the roots" just like it does with Irises; absolutely do not mulch!
When I was quite young, we hated the ants on our flowers. I sprayed the buds with insect spray.
Needless to say, they never opened up and remained the tight marbles on the stems. Mom was furious with me when I told her what I had done!
Why does my peony plant put out 3 blooms every year but the buds never open?
There are a couple common reasons why peony buds do not open. 1. Not enough sun. In partial to heavy shade, plants are weak and may not be able to supply adequate food to the developing buds. Transplant peonies to a sunny site in September. 2. The flower buds may have been damaged by a late freeze. While the plants themselves can tolerate a light freeze, the buds are more susceptible to cold injury. Unfortunately, little can be done to avoid this problem except be careful to select plants that fit your growing zone.
The last thing that the ants want to throw off of the peonies are aphids, because one of ants primary preferred foods is honeydew, which is really aphid poop. Get rid of the aphids, and your dinner is gone!
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