Thank you all for your help. Actually, the branches are all GONE!
Vanished. Anything broken was taken too. I found a lonely bud in the
bushes a few feet away while I was planting TWO replacement peonies
this weekend. I'll water, feed and pray and we'll see what happens
next year!...

Thanks again all, I appreciate your feedback.
Jen in Chicago

Kay Lancaster wrote in message ...
On 13 Jun 2003 08:43:32 -0700, Jen in Chicago wrote:
Help!! It's a long story but suffice to say that someone destroyed my
Raspberry Sundae peony and all the stalks are broken all they way down
to 4" above the ground. It was a 2nd year peony (about 24"x 24"). Is
there anything I can do to save it so that it will bloom next year?

Peonies are remarkably tough plants. I'd suggest trimming it just
below the breaks if the top portions of the stem are completely broken
off. If they're still attached moderately well, I'd let the plant recover
what nutrients it could from them, then trim when the broken portions
have gone brown and dry.

I'd probably also remove half of the flowerbuds next year... but I tend to
do that on any young perennial plant anyhow.

Kay Lancaster