I remember form my mother's house that her peonies were always covered in ants, and I hated that.
I've kept tree peonies for several years and love them. I'm thinking about dabbling in regular peonies now. The flowers are so spectacular.
My question is, are there any varieties of peonies which are not prone to ants? I'm guessing that the ants are really only there because of aphids.
Is it an issue of controlling the ants by controlling the aphids, and if so, is there a better way? Right now I just blast aphids off with a hose when I find them.
Peony Newbie - Ants question
Lego,
the ants are there because they are attracted to the nectar produced by the developing peony bud. They do not harm the flower and can be left alone.
Yeah, but they're ugly...
No, seriously, I appreciate that information. What you're saying is that the ants are attracted to the plant itself and it's nectar, rather than because they're herding aphids.
Are there any Peonies that Ants are not attracted to so much?
We have gone to great lengths to keep ants away from the house (we've had severe problems with ants in the house in the past) and would not want to do anything to encourage them like putting a food source nearby. That's why we have used the tree peonies so far.
plant the peonies...and they will come... lol sorry - don't think there's any way to avoid feeding the ants. Plant them away from the house?