· Sensitive to bacteria; use a chlorine pill or other cut flower additive
· Occasionally spray the flower buds using a plant spray; the water dissolves the sugars that can prevent the buds from opening fully
· Treat with care; open flowers are easily damaged
· Flowers die quickly; give a cool spot in the shop
· Sensitive to temperature fluctuations
· Optimal storage temperature: 46 F.
· Glass vases are preferable to earthenware ones; bacteria can multiply in the pores of earthenware vessels
Additonal information:
Spray flower buds
The florist is advised to store peonies in water at 8°C. Clean water and clean pails are essential. A drop of chlorine or other preserving agent must be added to the water. It is also advisable to cut a piece off the bottom of the stems. The flower buds should be moistened occasionally with the aid of a plant spray. The water dissolves the sugars produced by the buds. If the buds are not kept moist these sugars will dry out and prevent the flowers from opening properly.
Consumers are advised to change the water twice a week. It is also advisable to cut a piece off the ends of the stems at the same time. Cut flower food will help the flowers open fully.
Peonies are supplied to the Dutch flower auctions in bunches of five (standard) or ten (light) stems. They have an average length of 23 to 25 inches and the maximum stem length is 30 inches. The stems of Paeonia officinalis are often shorter.
Paeonia facts
The peony family (Paeoniaceae) has only a single genus which covers 33 varieties. The family used to be grouped with the Ranunculaceae family. This is erroneous because Paeoniaceae does not lose its sepals after flowering whereas this is the case with Ranunculaceae.
Botanists differentiate between two types of peonies, i.e. herbaceous (tuberous) peonies and tree peonies. In the herbaceous varieties the plant dies off in autumn unlike the tree peonies, whose woody shrub remains standing. Herbaceous peonies are divided into 6 groups. The Paeonia 'lactiflora' is by far the largest, most cultivated and most traded group. P. officinalis is another familiar group. Peonies come as single and double flowered varieties. Double flowered varieties account for the greater part of the assortment. Experts distinguish them even further, into semi-double and anemone or Japanese flowered cultivars. No distinction is made between these groups or types at auction.
For more than 200 years specialist breeders have been crossing the lactiflora cultivars with original and botanical varieties. This cross breeding has resulted in a huge assortment (more than 1000 cultivars).
