A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Shrubs and Trees tree peonies

Hi everyone!
I am new to the site and it looks very exciting. My question is about peonies. They have finished blooming...so do I cut them all the way back now or let them go and just pick off the dead blooms. They are not attractive in the state they are in right now! They were here when we bought the property and are about 8-10 years old.
Thank you!

Paeonia

My book says---remove spent flower stems, but allow the foliage to die down naturally before trimming it back. Some varietires produce lovely fall color.

Do not cut down the flowering stems of varieties such as P. mlokosewitschii that produce handsome berries.