Can I plant peonies in a shady area? Will they still bloom?

I want to plant peonies along the side of my home. I have a lot of trees and it is shady all around the house. I have one peony on the side of the house which has been there for 40 yrs plus from prev owner. It is very wide, but has buds that never opened up and look deformed. I don't know the history of the plant (if it does indeed bloom, etc) Are deformed buds a sign something is wrong with the plant or the site?I planted two new peonies at that site, not too close, but although it's shady, they seem to always be thirsty on the verge of wilting. What am I doing wrong? Please advise. Thank you!

Can I plant peonies in a shady area? Will they still bloom?
I have Peonies growing in full sun and full shade. Both do very well. When is the last time you divided the Peony that is 40? The bulbs may be too crowded to get the proper nutrients that they need to bloom. Try dividing them this fall and see what happens. Try putting some organic mulch around your new plants. If you have them planted at the correct depth, that should fix the problem. Good luck. I hope this helps.
Reply:They will do well in shade. I have about a dozen bushes that sit underneath trees. They bloom like crazy. These are my favorite flowers. Good Luck !!
Reply:A common problem of peonies is the failure to bloom. It may be the result of planting too deeply, immature plants, excess nitrogen, inadequate sunlight, overcrowding, nutrient deficiency, insect or disease problems, competition from roots of nearby plants or late freezes. Some cultivars will fail to bloom in zones 8 and 9 because they lack sufficient winter chilling.


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