Peonies have been used as a medicinal plant for over 2,000 years. It was already mentioned in Roman times and in the Middle Ages the plants were used for medicinal purposes. Peonies are still often found in old monasteries. Peonies are still widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.
In Europe they became popular with the nobility and especially in France and England they can often be found in castle gardens. English growers made perfumes from the petals at the end of the 19th century.
From 1960 growers started to grow peonies on a larger scale, but first mainly as a perennial plant for the garden.
In the last 15 years, the peony has become popular as a cut flower and has resulted in a large expansion of the peony cultivation.
The peony is romantically "old-fashioned". Their large flowers, beautiful colors and their seasonal availability make them very popular.
Care - peonie as a cut flower
Peonies are real seasonal products and are mainly available in the months of April and May. We harvest the flowers when they have ripened exactly the right way.
Care - peonie in the vase
Remove the lower leaves from the stem before placing them in the vase.
Use lukewarm water in the vase. Make sure they are not dry; peonies drink a lot.
It is advisable to add cut flower food, such as Chrysal. This ensures that the flowers open better and it extends the shelf life.
If a flower starts to droop, you can cut the flower diagonally again and put it again in lukewarm water.