Chewed stems in spring and ants crawling over the buds a little later are very different problems on the same plant. Rabbits are a matter of clipped shoots and protection. The ants turn out to be harmless visitors. Telling them apart saves you from treating the wrong thing.
Rabbits: What You See
Rabbit damage on a peony shows up in the plant itself and on the ground around it, usually in spring when the shoots are young and tender.
- Young stems are cut off cleanly at a slanted angle, as if with small pruning shears, and the cut ends look fresh and pale.
- Round, firm droppings lie scattered in the mulch or on the lawn edge near the clump.
- Shoots that were growing yesterday are simply gone, leaving short stubs rather than torn or shredded stalks.
- Soft fur tufts or shallow scratched patches sometimes show in the bed where a rabbit rested or dug.
- Damage tends to sit low on the plant, within easy reach of an animal standing on the ground.
A clump with clipped shoots and droppings nearby points to a rabbit, and the damage often repeats until the plant is protected.
From the almanac
Peonies in your state
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Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific Northwest
Canada
Rabbits or Something Else?
Many gardeners see movement on their peonies and assume something is feeding on them. Often it is ants on the swelling buds, which is normal and not a sign of rabbit trouble.
Deer are the other animal that gets mistaken for rabbits, and they leave a different mark. Their bites look ragged and torn, and they reach higher up the plant than a rabbit can.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Ants crawling over closed peony buds, as if something were feeding on the plant | The stems are intact and the buds are whole. The ants visit the nectar glands on the outside of the buds and leave once the bloom is complete. |
| Rabbit clipping, with shoots missing from the clump | Stems end in a clean slanted cut and round droppings lie nearby. Nothing crawls on the buds. |
Ants and rabbits can show up in the same bed in the same season, so check the stems for cuts and the ground for droppings before deciding what you are dealing with.
What Causes Rabbits, and Where It Is Worst
Rabbits come for soft, fresh growth. Peony shoots push up early in the season when little else in the yard is green, and nearby cover can make the clump easy for rabbits to approach.
Beds close to shelter give rabbits an easy, quiet approach.
The ants are a separate matter. Peony flowers feed them, and in return the ants guard the blossoms from other insects that feed on flowers. Gardeners call that give and take mutualism, and it is why a bud covered in ants is no cause for alarm.
How to Treat Rabbits
Start by confirming the animal, then block its access, because a barrier works where chasing does not.
- Check the stems for slanted cuts and the soil for droppings, so that you treat rabbits only when the signs are really there.
- Leave the ants alone, since they are doing the plant a favor and will leave by themselves after bloom.
- Surround the clump with wire mesh fencing, set snugly against the ground and staked firmly, so that a rabbit cannot slip underneath or push through.
- Clear brush, woodpiles and tall weeds near the bed, so that the animals lose the cover they use to approach unseen.
- Replace chewed or leaning guards as the shoots grow, so that fresh growth never ends up outside the barrier.
- Check which repellents and control methods are approved where you live, so that you stay within local rules.
Cut stems will not regrow from the clipped point, so protect the clump early.
How to Prevent Rabbits Coming Back
Prevention for peonies follows the plant’s own year, since the vulnerable moments are the first shoots and the quiet weeks after flowering.
- In early spring, set the fence around the clump before the red shoots break the soil, so the first growth is never exposed.
- While the buds swell and open, let the ants work and keep the fence in place, since both visitors can be around at once.
- Once the bloom is complete, the ants will move on; remove spent flowers for a tidy bed and keep the fence in place.
- In summer, mow the lawn edge beside the bed regularly and trim back tall grass, so that rabbits find no cover on the approach.
- After the foliage dies back, cut it down and clear leaf litter from the base of the plant.
A tidy bed and a secure fence make the plants less inviting and harder to reach.
Common Questions
Do Peonies Need Ants to Bloom?
No, that is a myth. Peonies bloom without ants, and the ants simply benefit from the nectar while the flowers benefit from their guard duty.
How Can You Tell Rabbit Damage from Deer Damage?
Look at the bite and its height. Rabbits leave a clean slanted cut low on the stem, while deer leave torn, ragged ends and can reach much higher.
Should You Wash Ants Off Peony Buds Before Cutting Flowers?
You do not need to treat the plant. If you bring cut flowers indoors, a gentle shake outside is enough, and any ants left on the buds will wander off on their own.
Where This Comes From
Control rules vary by area, so confirm local rules before choosing a method.