Once your outstanding perennial bloomers – peonies, iris and daylilies – have bloomed and faded away, you may see a funny looking bulge on the stems that can be mistaken for buds. Peonies and Iris will have come and gone in late spring/early summer; daylilies in mid to late summer. These three show stoppers in your garden have a very common appearance after their blooms are gone. Seed pods appear. A brief biology recap explains their appearance. And then we’ll help you decide what to do about them. Understanding what effect seed pods have on your perennial and its future blooms is an important step in deciding what steps you should take.
As flowers are pollinated while in full bloom, a part of the plant called the ovary begins to grow. The ovary appears at the top of the stem or stalk, just below the flower. Over time, the ovary becomes a container for seeds, incapsulating the seeds and taking on the appearance of a pod. It starts out looking green, which can resemble a bud (it is not!), then turns brown and woody as it matures, eventually splitting open and producing seeds for the plant to reproduce. It is all part of the natural life cycle of the plant. Some gardeners may choose to harvest the seeds and grow new plants, while others are more concerned with the health and appearance of the existing plant.
Peony Seed Pods
Seed pods will form on peonies several weeks after the final blooming of the plant. It’s important to note that peonies do not produce seed pods every single year. External factors, such as how many visits from pollinators the plant hosted, soil and weather conditions, as well as the health and age of the plant can all effect whether or not seed pods will appear. You may go several years not seeing them, and then one year be surprised by their appearance. Seed pods are a good sign, indicating a well pollinated, healthy plant.
Since growing a peony from seed is a lengthy process, most home gardeners choose to purchase mature plants that are already producing blooms. In that case, removing the seed pods will focus the plant’s energy back into its roots and leaves, since there is no need for it to reproduce. While cutting back seed pods will not cause peonies to re-bloom, it just may make for a healthier plant, capable of more and fuller blooms the following year.
Iris Seed Pods
Iris grow from tuber-shaped rhizomes, similar to bulbs, that are rooted, remain in the ground and produce more iris year after year. The seed pods that appear after iris are no longer blooming resemble those on peonies, and the reasoning behind removing them is identical: rather than the plant expending its energy in seed production, eliminate the seed pods and allow the energy to build in the rhizomes and roots as they prepare for winter. Seed pods on iris can be removed at the time of dead-heading, or you can remove the entire flower stalk.
Daylily Seed Pods
The enigmatic daylily produces gorgeous blooms that, sadly, last a single day. Self-fertilizing, rather than being dependent on pollinators, daylilies produce seed pods every year. Removing the seed pods will insure a healthier, stronger plant to make it through the winter, as well as encourage additional blooms the following year. However, try to remove the stems (scapes) of the daylily only, and not the abundant foliage. The plant depends on the foliage to absorb carbon dioxide, resulting in a stronger root base, capable of increased flower production next season. Caution: trimming away the leaves of daylilies prematurely can have a bad effect on next year’s blooms!