Ants are necessary for peony flower buds to open.

the verdict

REFUTED

the evidence says no

Recorded sources

0 sources for · 1 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that ants are necessary for peony flower buds to open?

No. A gardening reference explicitly labels the idea that ants must be present for peony flowers to open an old wives' tale, stating ants merely feed on the sweet substance in the buds and do no damage. No retrieved item supports the necessity of ants.

Verdict: REFUTED · 0 sources for, 1 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Evidence against · 1

The Flower Gardener's Bible

2012

Get citation

Hill, L. & Hill, N. (2012). The Flower Gardener's Bible. books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=gd14EAAAQBAJ&dq=Ants+are+necessary+for+peony+flower+buds+to+open.&hl=&as_pt=BOOKS&source=gbs_api

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