Peony: how to take care of it and tips to make cut flowers last

This ornamental plant it blooms only once a yearin spring and, with its colorful flowers, it fills gardens and balconies with color and also makes the bridal bouquet romantic and spectacular. Beautiful, fragrant and elegant: the peonybelonging to the family of Paeoniaceae, is a typically spring plant appreciated for its longevity but above all for its colorful flowers which, being particularly spectacular, are often used to compose romantic bridal bouquets, as well as a token of love on the occasion of the twelfth year of marriage, the so-called “silk wedding”. But in order for the plant to grow and stay healthy, small precautions are necessary both as regards cultivation and maintenance.

When does the peony bloom?

Peony is a plant whose flowers bloom only once a year, in a rather short period of time which, depending on the variety, goes from mid-April to June.

When to plant

Beginning of October – end of February

When it blooms

April – June

How and where to plant the peony

It is good to distinguish that shrubbya real bushy shrub that grows in height and it also reaches 2 meters, from the herbaceous one which instead has smaller dimensions and is characterized by roots of considerable size completely immersed in the ground. As he explains Clare Carnivalof the Settemetri nursery in Rome, the beginning of theautumn is the best time for planting and, starting from the seeds or taking some cuttings from already developed plants, a hole is made in the ground the depth of which must be double the height of the pot which, obviously, must then be removed. If you opt for a ready-made plant, however, it can also be planted in spring.

Peony In Pot: How to grow them

Alternatively, the plant can be grown in pots – it is preferable to opt for an earthenware container in order to protect it from heat and frost – remembering however to enrich the soil around February, after the winter, with a fertilizer in order to give it the nourishment it needs. Never be in a hurry: the peony takes time to grow and flowering, especially as regards the herbaceous plants, can also occur after years. To ensure that it manifests itself in all its splendour, the plant must be positioned in an area with half sun: it needs light but excessive exposure to sunlight risks burning the leaves. From also avoid sudden changes in temperature and, in winter, it must be kept sheltered because it fears the cold. It can be covered, for example, using non-woven cloths to prevent the roots from freezing. As regards theirrigationmust be watered about once a week in hot periods and every 10 days in winter in order to avoid that an excess of humidity can cause the roots to rot and cause the yellowing of the leaves.

How to make cut peony last longer

Peony is often used for the creation of refined bouquets, but it is not a prerogative of brides: being a flower that symbolizes love but also prosperity and luck, it lends itself well to the composition of elegant bouquets to pay homage to a loved one. There are small tricks that allow you to last longer cut peony. To keep the flowers beautiful and luxuriant, in addition to removing the withered petals and leaves, it is important that the water is always fresh, clean and slightly warm: it is therefore necessary to change it daily by adding a drop of bleach (useful trick to keep bacteria away and prevent it from withering) and remember, each time, to shorten the stem by about half a centimeter using the so-called “flute beak pruning” that is, by making an oblique cut in such a way as to allow the opening of the lymphatic channels which allow the water to quickly reach the flower.

Peonies: colors and meaning

One, none, one hundred thousand. These flowers impress with the great chromatic variety of their petals. Each color has a specific meaning: the red peony it symbolizes respect but also passion while the rose one is associated with romance. There white peony instead it is the emblem of purity and candor: which is why this color is chosen to compose the bride’s bouquet. There blue variant it represents eternal love, the one that is impossible to forget.