Peony Seed Harvesting

by Alicia
(VA, USA)

When is the best time to collect seeds from a peony plant?
What is the best method?

Doug says that fall or late summer is the best time. You'll see the peony seed pod starting to turn brown and then darken and go a deep brown. The seeds are pretty much ripe at that time and when you get to September, they're splitting and starting to drop seed.

Pick the dark brown seedpods, break them open, separate the black seeds from the leftover pod chaff and then store the seeds in an envelope (write the name of the plant on the outside) and store cool and dry until you're ready to plant.

Hope that helps