Lots of flowers have roots in Greek mythology and the tales of gods and goddesses. Pretty cool, right? Well, peonies are no different.
Paeonia and Aphrodite
The flower is now believed to symbolise bashfulness due to its part in the tale of the nymph Paeonia. Her beauty attracted the attention of the god Apollo but this upset the goddess of love Aphrodite – who was a bit of a jealous type.
Paeonia noticed that Aphrodite was watching her being flirted with and became bashful and turned red. This just annoyed Aphrodite more and so the goddess decided to turn Paeonia into a peony flower as punishment.
Paeon and Aesculapius
Another tale links the peony to a student called Paeon who used the flower's root to heal the god Pluto but again, a god got jealous of his talents. It seems lots of Greek gods and goddesses had a touch of the green-eyed monster in them.
Aesculapius (try saying that three times fast) was the god of medicine and tried to kill Paeon for being smarter than him. Pluto, however, took pity and turned Paeon into a peony flower to protect him. This tale is, of course, where peonies get their meaning of compassion from – although we're not sure if being turned into a flower is much of a rescue.
PEONIES MEANING BY COLOUR
WHEN DO PEONIES BLOOM?
You can enjoy peonies between late April and mid-June. That's right, it's a pretty slim window but we think that makes these stunning flowers extra special. Mark it on your calendar and look out for these gorgeous blooms at this time of year.
Missed out this year? Not to worry, there's some fabulous flowers similar to peonies so you can still get your fix.
HOW TO GET PEONIES TO BLOOM FASTER
On a tight deadline and need your peonies to open up quicker than usual? Then pop them in a warm, bright room. Peonies love to bask in the sun (who doesn't?) and soon their petals will unfurl to reveal the gorgeous flower in its final form. You can also pop them in warm water and they'll open up even faster! But bear in mind that the faster they open up, the shorter their vase life. If you want to slow the flowers down, pop them in the fridge – the coolness of the fridge will stop them from opening up as quickly.
HOW TO MAKE CUT PEONIES LAST LONGER
With such a short window for enjoying these blooms, you'll want to do all you can to enjoy them just that little bit longer. Here are our care tips for peonies:
- Remove your peonies from their packaging.
- Take a moment to remove any leaves that may sit below the waterline in your vase – If they are in the water too long they can start to breed nasty bacteria that your peonies won't like.
- Cut 2-3cm off the stems of your peonies – Do this diagonally and with a sharp knife or scissors to encourage your flowers to take in water. It's thirsty work being that beautiful!
- Pop your flowers in a vase with clean water – Be sure to also add any plant food that your bouquet came with!
- Change the water regularly – This ensures it stays fresh and no harmful bacteria can get at your blooms.
If you are looking to keep your peonies even longer, they are a great flower to dry. From air drying to to silica gel, we've created a handy guide on how to dry peony flowers.
WHEN TO SEND PEONIES
We think these flowers are perfect for any occasion but here are just a few specific ones to consider:
An anniversary – Whether you're celebrating your 12th wedding anniversary or just your time together as a couple, a bouquet of peonies are the perfect alternative to your usual rose.
If you need to apologise – Whoops, you've upset someone and now you need to make it right. Peonies are said to mean bashfulness, so we reckon they're the ideal flower to send to someone you're seeking forgiveness from.
To cheer someone up - Whether they're not feeling great or just need perking up, a bunch of puffed up peonies will brighten their day.
To celebrate a new home – If someone close to you has moved into a new home give them a bunch of peonies to wish them luck in their new place. Plus, these flowers will instantly brighten up the space, ideal if there's lots of decorating to do!
To wish someone luck – As we know, these blooms are considered to mean good luck in China so present a loved one with a bunch of peonies (featuring an even amount of flowers) if they're going for a test or a promotion at work.
