Peonies Are Natural Ant Magnets: Why This Will Save Your Garden

Are you ready to find out why the ants you're killing on your peonies are actually your best allies?

In 2023, the journal Science published a study that turned our understanding of garden pests upside down: ants scurrying around peony buds are not “stealing nectar,” but protecting the flowers from flower-eating beetles and aphids.

Renowned entomologist Edward Wilson told National Geographic :

"Ants and peonies - an ancient symbiosis that people are mistakenly destroying."

The story of Marina from Kazan confirms this: her peonies, covered in ants, survived the aphid invasion, while the neighboring bushes without “defenders” turned into skeletons.

Scientists from Wageningen University have discovered the mechanism: a sweet secretion from peonies attracts ants, which in turn attack any insects that come near the buds.

But there is a caveat. British gardener Monty Don warns:

"Ants on peonies are useful, but if they move to roses or fruit trees, expect trouble."

The reason? Ants "breed" aphids on other plants for honeydew. The solution was found in Japan.

The Sakura Gardens nursery recommends planting peonies near apple and plum trees - the ants stay on the flowers, protecting the fruit crops at the same time.

An experiment by the channel "Garden Detective" proved that in a plot with peonies, the apple harvest increased by 30%, and the aphids disappeared without chemicals. But not all plants are friends with this symbiosis.

Petunias and carnations planted close together suffer from ant tunnels - their roots become exposed and dry out. But hostas and ferns create an ideal microclimate.

Agronomist Gennady Raspopov advises in the blog “Ecosad”:

“If there are too many ants, sprinkle the soil around the peonies with cinnamon - it does not harm the symbiosis, but regulates the numbers.”

The main secret was revealed in China. There, for centuries, peonies have been planted next to bamboo - its leaves emit phytoncides that enhance the protective properties of ants.

Feedback from the forum "Pionomania" :

“I stopped poisoning the ants and my peonies bloomed for the first time in 10 years!”