Peony wilt
A grey mould specific to peonies, which collapses whole shoots at ground level in spring while the rest of the clump stands untouched. The shoot wilts from the base rather than the tip, and at the point where it meets the soil there is a brown rotted patch, often with a felt of grey spores on it in wet weather.
Caused by: Botrytis paeoniae · also called peony blight, peony botrytis
What brings it on
Wet springs, crowded clumps and old foliage left on the ground over winter. The fungus survives as hard black resting bodies in the debris at the base of the plant, which is why the same clump is affected year after year.
source
Sourced guidancehigh confidence
- Royal Horticultural Society: Peony wilt
- University of Minnesota Extension — University of Minnesota: Botrytis blight of peony
Checked 2026-08-13
Usually seen: April, May, June
Preventing it
Ordered by how much difference each measure actually makes, not by how often it is repeated.
- Cut herbaceous peonies down to ground level in autumn and take the foliage away rather than composting it on the spot. This removes most of the overwintering inoculum and is the single most effective thing available.
source
Sourced guidancehigh confidence
- University of Minnesota Extension — University of Minnesota: Botrytis blight of peony — management
Checked 2026-08-13
- Give the clump room and air. A peony crowded by neighbours dries slowly after rain, which is the condition the fungus needs.
source
Horticultural consensusmoderate confidence
- Royal Horticultural Society: Peony wilt — prevention
Checked 2026-08-13
Dealing with it once it is there
- Cut affected shoots out below soil level, back into sound tissue, and remove them from the garden. Cutting at ground level leaves the infected base behind.
source
Sourced guidancehigh confidence
- Royal Horticultural Society: Peony wilt — control
Checked 2026-08-13
What it affects
On sprays and treatments
GrowingHQ does not tell anyone what to apply, at what rate, or how often. Pesticide approvals differ by country, change without notice, and the product label is legally binding — it is also the document you are holding. What is described here is cultural and physical control, which is what a home grower can act on without a label in front of them.