Why are my peony leaves curling?

Peony leaves curl most commonly due to botrytis blight or aphid infestation. Botrytis blight (Botrytis paeoniae) is the most significant fungal disease of peonies, causing new shoots, buds, and leaves to turn brown and collapse in cool, wet spring weather, with the affected tissue developing a gray fuzzy mold; the stems may also rot at the base and topple. Aphids (particularly the green peach aphid) cluster on the developing buds and new growth in spring, causing the young leaves to curl downward around the colony with insects visible. Drought stress in summer causes the leaves to cup and wilt during hot weather, recovering with consistent watering. Thrips feed inside developing buds and on young leaves, causing distortion and silvery streaking alongside curling. Peony ringspot virus produces yellow rings and irregular mottling on the leaves alongside some distortion and curling.

What does botrytis look like on peonies?

Botrytis blight on peonies (caused by Botrytis paeoniae) appears in spring as young shoots that emerge looking water-soaked, wilted, or collapsed rather than upright and healthy. Affected shoots and stems turn brown and may topple at ground level or partway up the stem. In humid conditions, a gray fuzzy mold develops on the affected tissue, which is the diagnostic sign: the gray mold of Botrytis is distinctive and not produced by other peony problems. Flower buds that are affected turn brown and fail to open. Leaves on affected shoots distort and collapse alongside the stem damage. The disease is worst in cool, wet spring weather (55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit with prolonged wet periods) when the spores germinate and infect rapidly. Botrytis is most damaging early in the season when peonies are emerging; plants that push through the critical early period in drier weather typically escape severe damage. The fungus overwinters in infected plant debris and in the soil.

Why are my peony leaves curling in spring?

Peony leaves curling in spring most commonly indicate aphids or botrytis blight. Aphids colonize the new growth and developing buds as soon as peonies emerge in spring, and their feeding causes the young leaves to curl around the colony; looking at the undersides of the curled leaves reveals the insects. Botrytis blight causes the new shoots to collapse and the leaves to distort and discolor in brown rather than curling cleanly; the gray mold of botrytis is the clinching identifier. A third common spring observation is peony leaves that are unusually reddish or purplish as they emerge, which is a normal characteristic of many peony varieties and not a problem. Leaves that emerge with yellow mottling alongside distortion may be showing virus symptoms. Springtime peony leaf curl that is symmetrical, affects all the new growth uniformly, and has no insects or mold is often simply the normal unfurling of young leaves in cool weather before they expand fully in warmth.

Peony Leaves Curling — Why It Happens and How to Fix It

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At a glance

Shoots collapsing and browning with gray fuzzy mold in wet spring weather: Botrytis blight; remove affected tissue and improve air circulation
New growth curling down with insects on buds and leaf undersides: Aphids; treat with insecticidal soap
Leaves cupping and wilting in summer heat with dry soil: Drought stress; water consistently
Leaves silvery-streaked and distorted with tiny insects in buds: Thrips; treat with spinosad
Leaves with yellow rings or irregular mottling alongside distortion: Peony ringspot virus; remove and destroy plant

Why peony leaves curl

Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora and related species) are long-lived perennials that can thrive for decades with minimal care in the right conditions, but they are susceptible to a significant fungal disease in spring and to several pest insects that concentrate on their soft new growth and fragrant flowers. The most important problem to identify quickly is botrytis blight, which can destroy new shoots and buds in cool, wet springs if not managed. Aphids and thrips are common but treatable. Understanding which problem is present early in the season determines whether intervention will save the spring bloom.

Cause 1: Botrytis blight

Signs: Young shoots emerging from the ground look water-soaked, wilt, and collapse, turning brown at the stem base. Developing buds and leaves on affected shoots turn brown and fail to develop normally. In humid conditions, a distinctive gray fluffy mold covers the affected tissue. The symptoms appear in cool, wet spring weather. Stems may show a dark brown rot at or just above soil level.

Why it happens: Botrytis paeoniae is a specialist fungal pathogen of peonies that overwinters in infected debris at the soil surface and re-infects new growth each spring when conditions are cool and wet. Spores are released during rain and germinate and infect new shoots rapidly in the 55 to 65 degree Fahrenheit temperature range with prolonged wet periods. Planting too deep (the eyes should be no more than 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface), poor drainage, dense planting, and leaves or stems left on the ground after the season all worsen the disease.

Fix: Remove all affected shoots, buds, and leaves at the first sign of infection, cutting well back into healthy tissue. Dispose of the affected material in the trash, not the compost. Remove and dispose of all peony foliage and stems at the end of the season, since the fungus overwinters in this debris. Improve air circulation by spacing plants adequately (at least 3 feet between plants). Avoid overhead watering. Apply copper fungicide or a botrytis-specific fungicide preventively in early spring as the shoots emerge, especially in wet years.

Cause 2: Aphids

Signs: New leaves and developing buds have clusters of small soft-bodied insects. The young leaves curl downward around the colony. Ants are climbing the stems. The insects are particularly concentrated around the flower buds, where they feed on the sweet secretions as well as on the soft plant tissue. Honeydew makes the buds and stems sticky.

Why it happens: Peonies produce sugary secretions from the flower buds that attract ants (which protect aphids from predators) and also make the plant attractive to aphid colonization. Several aphid species feed on peonies, and populations can build up quickly on new spring growth. The ants do not harm the peonies directly; they are a signal that aphids are present and being farmed.

Fix: Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to all affected surfaces, focusing on the curled leaves and flower buds. A strong blast of water first dislodges the bulk of colonies. Repeat every 5 to 7 days for 2 applications. For buds close to opening, spray carefully to avoid damaging petals. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that kill beneficial insects and disrupt natural aphid control. The ants disappear once the aphid colony is eliminated.

Cause 3: Drought stress

Signs: The leaves are cupping and wilting during hot summer weather, particularly in the afternoon. The soil is dry. The plant looks stressed and the stems may droop. The symptoms reverse after watering. The problem worsens in exposed locations in full sun during heat waves.

Why it happens: Peonies prefer cool to moderate temperatures and require consistent soil moisture, particularly during their active growth phase in spring and early summer. Once the blooms are finished and the plant is growing its summer foliage, it becomes more tolerant of dry periods but still wilts visibly when the soil dries out completely during heat waves. Container-grown peonies are particularly vulnerable to drought.

Fix: Water consistently, keeping the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Established peonies in the ground need about 1 inch of water per week during dry periods. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant (keeping it away from the crown) to retain soil moisture and moderate soil temperature. Peonies planted in afternoon shade in hot climates suffer less drought stress than those in full sun all day.

Cause 4: Thrips

Signs: Developing flower buds are distorted and fail to open normally, or the opened flowers have brown-streaked or silvery-distorted petals. Leaves near the buds have silvery or bronze streaking. The leaves may curl slightly. Tiny, elongated insects (1 to 2 millimeters, yellowish or brown) are visible with a magnifying glass inside the buds and in the curled leaf folds.

Why it happens: Thrips are attracted to the fragrant flowers of peonies and feed within the developing bud tissue, causing silvery cell damage to the petals and leaves. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) is the most common species. They are most damaging during dry, warm conditions and are difficult to control once inside closed buds because sprays cannot reach them.

Fix: Apply spinosad to the buds and new growth before they begin opening, when the insects are still accessible. Blue sticky traps help monitor thrips populations and reduce numbers. Reflective silver mulch deters adult thrips from landing near plants. Remove and destroy heavily infested buds rather than letting the insects complete their life cycle. Natural predators including predatory mites (Amblyseius cucumeris) and minute pirate bugs provide biological control in unsprayed gardens.

Cause 5: Peony ringspot virus

Signs: The leaves develop yellow rings, line patterns, or irregular mottled patches that do not fade or improve. The affected leaves may also be slightly distorted or curled. The symptoms affect multiple leaves throughout the plant. The plant may be somewhat stunted but continues to grow and flower. No change in care improves the symptoms.

Why it happens: Peony ringspot is caused by Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), transmitted by soil-dwelling nematodes (Trichodorus and Paratrichodorus species). The virus is also transmitted through infected planting material. Infected plants cannot be cured and remain reservoirs for spread via nematodes to neighboring plants.

What to do: Remove and destroy confirmed infected plants to prevent further nematode-mediated spread. Do not replant peonies in the same location where infected plants grew, as TRV nematode vectors persist in the soil. Purchase peony divisions from reputable nurseries that practice disease-free propagation. Mild infections on otherwise vigorous plants may not warrant removal if spread is not a concern; the plant will continue to flower, but the mottling will not resolve.

Peony Leaves Curling