Although peonies aren’t the most durable flower out there, cut peony care doesn’t have to be a stressful or time-consuming ordeal. Just follow our simple guide below, and there’s no reason you won’t have a delightful and healthy bouquet of peonies beautifying your home.
Once our summer peonies reach your doorstep, you’ll see that the flowers are delivered in bud form for longer enjoyment. It takes just a little bit of tender loving care to make sure these buds of opportunity bloom to their full potential, so we’ve put together a little guide on how to get your peonies to really open up.
How to Care for Peonies
Peony care should start immediately once they step foot in your home. On arrival, your peonies will most likely come in bud form and look a bit downtrodden. Don’t worry though; they’ll soon show off their voluptuous blooms they’re so known for once they take in some delicious H2O.
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Peony Bouquet
- A vase
- Sheers
- Flower food
Instructions
Step 1: Because our peonies are cut-to-order and delivered from our farms, they may have some extra leaves on them. Start by removing a few of the lower outer leaves from the stems to give them a more sleek look. Take off just the right amount to suit your style, you can make your bouquet as tame or wild as you like!
Step 2: Trim a few inches off the stems so that the peonies fit your vase. We recommend trimming the bottoms at a 45 degree angle because this helps the stems absorb water more efficiently.
Step 3: Fill your vase with water and pour in a packet of flower food to keep the water clean (this helps to extend the life of the flowers). Next, place your arrangement in the vase and give it a bit of a touch-up, if needed. All you have to do now is watch them bloom!
Find Them the Perfect Place
The key to a long and happy vase life for any flower is to find them the perfect location to call their own. This means that once you have them in the vase and ready for display, you should put them in a cool spot of your home that is free from direct sunlight and hot or cold drafts. They’ll thank you!
Recondition Every Other Day
Fair warning: peonies are heavy drinkers. So always, always, always make sure they have enough water to keep those massive blooms quenched. In addition to changing the water at least every other day, it’s also important to re-cut the stems and add more flower-friendly nutrients to the water.
So whether you picked up a Bouq of peonies for your wedding or were gifted them from a friend or love interest, their captivating aura will surely charm everyone who encounters them. But that’s only if you give them the proper care and attention…which we know you will!
But if you haven’t received any yet, or want to grab some more (season permitting, of course), head over to The Bouqs Co. and snag a fresh, farm-to-table artisan-crafted peony Bouq for yourself. We love sending peonies to all our friends. We can also help if you want some tips on arranging peonies as well!
A Brief History of Peonies
Not only are they pink, but peonies are downright gorgeous. When Marco Polo encountered peonies for the first time in China, he was in awe at their luscious blooms, saying that their “roses were as big as cabbages.” The Chinese name for peony translates to “most beautiful.” If that wasn’t enough, early colonists were said to have brought peonies with them on their long journeys so they could introduce their one-of-a-kind beauty to the New World.
Peony Season
But for all the statement-making peonies engage in, they are delicate and rare. In fact, they are seasonal, meaning they only bloom a few months of the year, typically from late April to mid-June. We know what you are thinking: such a shame, right?
When you stop to think about it, though, it’s not so much a curse as it is a blessing in disguise. Because when peony season rolls around, it’ll make that fresh-cut Bouq of peonies even more special. Think of them as the flower world’s version of a fine diamond.
So however that splendid peony Bouq ended up in your hands, it’s very important that you know how to properly care for them. You want those head-turners gracing your home for as long as possible, right?
But first, before we move on to peony care, let’s dive into a bit of the symbolism of peonies. After all, it’ll make that show-stopping Bouq even more special than it was before.
Peony Symbolism
In contemporary times, peonies have come to symbolize romance, compassion, prosperity, good fortune, and a happy marriage.
Peonies are named after the Greek physician to the Gods, Paeon. According to the myth, Paeon was a student of the God of Medicine, Aesculapius. Paeon showed his brilliance and inventiveness by using a peony root to heal Pluto’s wounds successfully. In a fit of jealousy at the sight of his apprentice’s talents, Aesculapius tried to kill Paeon. To protect Paeon, Pluto transformed him into a peony and hence, it became one of the ultimate symbols of compassion.
Each color of peonies also carries with it its own specific meanings:
- Pink peonies symbolize love and are extremely common in wedding bouquets
- White peonies symbolize regret and bashfulness
- Red peonies symbolize honor and respect
- Yellow peonies symbolize friendship and cheerfulness
Peony Facts
We’ve said it close to a million times, and we’ll say it again: peonies are next-level attractive. For one, everything—and we mean everything—is prettier in pink. But, don’t be fooled, peonies aren’t just all style and no substance. They also have a wealth of history and interesting facts. Here are just a few fun facts to know about peonies:
- In medieval times, peonies were often used to treat epilepsy, snake bites, headaches, and asthma.
- Peony petals are sometimes used in teas, salads, and as garnishes in punches or lemonade.
- Peony blooms can grow to be 10 inches.
- Peony plants can live to be 100 years old.
- Hillary Duff, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Drew Barrymore are all huge fans of peonies.
