Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Paeonia
Large herbaceous perennial plants (up to 1.m) with lobed leaves. Tight ball shaped buds opens in spectacular large (10-12cm) simple or multiple flower heads in late spring early summer .
Fully opened peonies arranged in glass vases for my "Watching that lazy town bee" design
Common name
Origin
Varieties
Peonies for the cut flower market are herbaceous perennials. Tree peonies (large shrubs) are generally not grown for their cut flowers.
Colors
Vase life
Scent
Uses
Fully opened peonies are spectacular for massed designs. Very popular in wedding designs. The tight buds are great in dramatic work as a focal point.
Conditioning
Remove all foliage that will fall below the water line. Cut the stems at an angle and place in water with flower food. Keep the tight buds in a cool dark place to keep them in bud for as long as possible. To open the flowers, submerge them in warm water for a few hours. Re-condition the stems every few days by giving the stems a fresh cut and refreshing the water. Where possible, arrange the flowers in water rather than floral foam. Peonies are very sensitive to ethylene gas, do not place the flowers close to fruit.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter
Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.