The meaning of peonies (and why they are so hard to find)

The peony is the most requested flower for weddings and the one we most often have to explain is not available. It is worth starting there, before the symbolism.

The season, which really is short

In Argentina the peony has a window of just a few weeks between October and November (spring in the Southern Hemisphere). It isn't a supplier issue: it is the plant's cycle, which needs a cold winter to bloom and then opens all at once.

Outside that window there is the imported option, at a price that generally changes the entire budget of an event. If someone offers you peonies in March without mentioning the price, ask before you get excited.

What it symbolizes

• Romance and a happy marriage. It is its dominant meaning in the West, and the reason it dominates weddings.
• Prosperity and good fortune. In China it is the "queen of flowers" and an imperial symbol of wealth and honor.
• Beauty and compassion. The Greek reading, tied to the myth of Paeon, physician to the gods, from whom it takes its name.

By color

• Pink: the iconic one. Romance, sweetness, good luck in marriage.
• White: elegance and, traditionally, a sincere apology.
• Red: passion, honor and respect.
• Coral: the most sought-after in recent years; it shifts color as it opens over the days.

The bud stage

Peonies are cut closed, at the "soft bud" stage: it should give a little when you squeeze it, like a marshmallow. If it arrives completely hard, it will never open; if it arrives open, it has two days left.

Once in the vase it opens in one to three days and then lasts three to five more. It is one of the shortest-lived flowers, and that fleetingness is part of why it is so prized.

How to make it last

• Cold water, changed daily. It is demanding.
• Away from any heat source: it opens all at once and it's over.
• If you want to delay opening, keep it in the bottom of the fridge wrapped in paper.
• It is normal for it to come with ants: they are after the nectar on the outer petals and do it no harm. Shake it before bringing it inside.

Alternatives when there are none

The ones that best stand in for it visually: many-petaled garden roses, ranunculus and dahlias in summer. None is the same, and all three work. The full calendar is in seasonal flowers month by month.

Availability of each flower changes with the season. If you are looking for a specific flower, ask us before ordering and we will confirm whether we have it.