it could be herbicide as well - did you or your neighbor use them last year or recently ?

PLEASE POST PICTURES. I think I have the same thing going on with some of mine.

Oh, sorry, I see you did. I'll post mine. Mine wilt from the bottom. (not the second picture; those are roses)

So to answer Alex I sprayed herbicide last year but not near Peony. Always very cautious of wind carrying it. This year weeds have been good enough to hand pull.

Sue....what do you have? Is it fungal? I still am not sure about my peony and what I have. Based on what I read is if I cut the base open I should see a brown discolouration of the internal basal tissues.

All I see is pure white healthy stems but everything else is wounded. Ants are having a feast on buds. Feed? Pull away Mulch to prevent moisture? Need advice as my wife loves this plant

If you have mulch up against the stems you'll want to pull it away. I've not dealt with fungal issues but do have cold related issues with some peonies every year. Some peonies deal with cold weather and a blanket of snow with ease, others have frozen stems that show the same symptoms you're describing before they just wilt away for the year. Good luck determining the base cause of your peony issue.

Is it a sprinkler that I see there? First, stop watering unless there is a drought. Certainly pull away mulch and dispose of it. Cut away diseased foliage right away and dispose of it. Sprinkle with fungicide crown and soil and pray to peony gods. If it survives summer barely I suggest pull it out with as much soil as possible, dispose the soil, divide, soak in some fungicide for 10-15 min and plant somewhere sunny and as far from sprinklers as possible. If it will be healthy for the rest of the summer, cut foliage in fall as low as possible and treat with fungicide in fall and spring.

Useful link

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/peony-problems.aspx

What kind of fungacide do you recommend. And how often and when. thanks. I am so sad my peonies are sick!!!

Not very often - I'd say now 2-3 times 7-10 days apart when the weather is dry and windy and once in fall and in spring. Fungicide - whatever is available in stores, just check with store staff and labels that it could be used on peonies.

Oh, and how often should I pray to the peony gods per day!!! HAHA

I don't have sprinklers next to mine but sprayed with fungicide yesterday. Copper sulphur

more closeup pictures of my sick peonies. Some of the stems are hollow at the bottom. I pulled away some soil from the base of the peonies in case that might be the problem.