By flower · May and June
Peonies: the most photogenic flower of spring
Big, fragrant and with a very short season. The peony is the most saved flower on Pinterest and the queen of Mother’s Day in Spain.
- Scientific name
- Paeonia spp.from Asia, Europe and North America
- Season
- April to Junein Spain; November to January in Chile
- Meaning
- Prosperity and loveand a happy marriage
- Vase life
- 5 to 7 daysfrom when it opens
What it means to give peonies
The peony is associated with prosperity, good fortune and love. In China, where it has been grown for centuries, it is called the queen of flowers and is a symbol of wealth and honor. In the West it has become the flower of weddings and anniversaries: a bouquet of peonies says “I wish you the very best” with far more presence than almost any other flower.
Its name comes from Paean, the physician of the gods in Greek mythology. The plant was used as a remedy for centuries, long before it became the most photographed flower on Instagram and Pinterest.
By color, pink is romantic and maternal, white is used by brides and coral or red conveys more intensity.
When peonies are given
The peony arrives just in time for Mother’s Day, which in Spain falls on the first Sunday of May, in full season:
| Date | What is celebrated and why | Flower | Color | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Sunday of May | Mother’s Day In Spain it is celebrated on the first Sunday of May, the month Catholic tradition dedicates to the Virgin Mary. Carnations and peonies are the classics. | Carnations, roses or peonies | Pink | Spain and Portugal |
| 2nd Sunday of May | Mother’s Day Anna Jarvis promoted the day in the USA in 1908 and chose the carnation, her mother’s favorite flower. From there it spread to much of the Americas and Europe. | Carnations | Pink | USA, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Italy and more |
| every year | Mother’s Day (Día de las Madres) In Mexico it has been a fixed date since 1922, when the newspaper Excélsior promoted the celebration. Serenade, family lunch and a bouquet that can’t be missing. | Roses and carnations | Pink | Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador |
It is also one of the favorite flowers for anniversaries and spring weddings.
A season of just a few weeks
The peony is a perennial plant that takes several years to produce flowers good enough for cutting, and each plant blooms only once a year. That’s why its season is so short and its price so high:
- Spain: May, June.
- Mexico and Central America: out of local season (greenhouse-grown or imported).
- Argentina, Chile and Uruguay: November, December.
In the southern hemisphere, southern Chile has specialized in peonies harvested between November and January, just when there are none in Europe. If you see peonies in autumn in Spain, they probably come from there.
How to buy peonies
Ideally, buy them in bud, when they are still closed but soft to the touch, like a marshmallow. If they are hard as a marble they may never open; if they are already fully open they won’t last long. A bud at the right point opens in one to three days and gives you the whole transformation, which is part of the charm.
How to care for a bouquet of peonies
- Trim 2 or 3 cm at an angle and remove any leaves below the water.
- Warm water to open them, cold to slow them down: if you want them to open fast, leave them somewhere warm; if you want them to last, somewhere cool.
- Change the water every two days and trim the stem a little each time.
- Watch out for ants: the bud releases a nectar they love. If you see any, rinse the bud in water before bringing it indoors.
If it isn’t the season
Outside May and June, the alternatives that look similar are garden roses with lots of petals, ranunculus (in winter and spring) and hydrangeas (in summer). For Argentina’s Mother’s Day, in October, lilies and roses are the classic choice.
Remind me 3 days before
Download the reminder and open it with your phone’s calendar: it repeats every year and alerts you three days before, so you have time to order the bouquet.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to give peonies?
Prosperity, good fortune and love. In China it is known as the queen of flowers and in the West it is a symbol of a happy marriage, which is why it appears so often at weddings.
When is peony season?
In Spain, from late April to June, peaking in May. In the southern hemisphere they come from Chile between November and January. Outside those weeks they are scarce and expensive.
Why are peonies so expensive?
Because the plant takes years to produce cut flowers and the season lasts only a few weeks. The flower is also fragile and travels badly.
How do you get a peony to open?
Buy buds that feel soft to the touch, like a marshmallow, trim the stem and put it in lukewarm water in a warm spot. It will open in one to three days.
Which flower can replace the peony out of season?
Garden roses (David Austin type) or ranunculus look similar, with lots of petals, and are available for more months of the year.
