{"id":4127,"date":"2019-06-26T02:54:34","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T18:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.24hrscityflorist.com\/blog\/?p=4127"},"modified":"2021-03-22T00:31:02","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T16:31:02","slug":"peony-flower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.24hrscityflorist.com\/blog\/peony-flower\/","title":{"rendered":"Peony Flower"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Poeny Flowers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What are peonies?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the ice thaws and the sun peeks out from the clouds, the peony flowers<\/a> come out to play! Peonies, sometimes mistaken for garden roses, is a flowering plant native to both the East and the West – namely Asia, Europe, and the western parts of North America. There are over 30 species of peonies. Peonies are perennial flowers that only bloom at certain times of the year, namely in spring and summer. They are known for their large, lush, billowy, overlapping petals, and can come in a variety of colors – pink, red, cream, and the more uncommon yellow. The scent of the peony flower, which is regarded for its soft, feminine, fresh and sparkling qualities, is also a popular fragrance component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you grow peonies in Singapore?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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peonies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is no. Peonies flourish best in temperate climates, as opposed to our tropical one. They require long periods of dormancy each cycle; whereby the plant is not dead but does not bloom as it is in a resting state to conserve energy. In order for this to happen, very cold temperatures are required, to the point whereby the ground freezes. So unless the peony plant is placed in a very controlled environment with optimal growing conditions, it is unable to bloom in Singapore. Have no fear though, many florists on our sunny island still carry and deliver various types of peonies seasonally!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This elegant peony flower bouquet<\/a>, consisting of dark pink and cream blooms, are available for order at 24hrCityFlorist. Flower delivery<\/a> services available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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poeny flower bouquet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Types of Peonies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are 3 main types\nof peonies: Herbaceous peonies, Itoh peonies, and Tree peonies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbaceous peonies,<\/strong> also known as bush peonies, bloom in March and wilt in winter,\nwhere they usually fall to the ground. These peonies have green stems and are\nknown to be sturdy, requiring little care. There is usually one bloom per stem.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Itoh peonies,<\/strong> as the name suggests, has Japanese roots as it was successfully\ncross-bred by a Japanese Horticulturalist named Toichi Itoh. As a hybrid\nbetween the Herbaceous peony and the tree peony, it has both of its\ncharacteristics. They are also durable flowers, and are popular in bouquets,\nbeing able to sustain through out long florist delivery durations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tree Peonies, <\/strong>as opposed to the herbaceous peony, have woody stems that stay above ground even when they defoliate during fall. They take longer to grow than the herbaceous peonies, but can grow taller and have bigger blooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bloom Types <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The peony flower has various bloom types, which refers to the shape of the head of the flower. The next time you visit a florist, you would be able to point out exactly what type of blooms you are looking for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single Bloom Peony<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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single bloom peony flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Single peonies have one or a few rows of petals surrounding the stamen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semi Double Bloom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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semi-double bloom peony flower
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Semi-double peonies have a fuller look than the single peony as they have more rows of petals. The stigma and stamen are still present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full-Double Bloom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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full-double bloom peony flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Full-double peonies also have multiple rows of petals. The crown of the flower is covered by petals, and the stamen and stigma cannot be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japanese Bloom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Japanese Bloom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Japanese peonies have unique stamens, whereby they take on a petal-like resemblance. Japanese blooms are called so not because they originated from Japan, but because of their popularity in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bomb<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bomb Bloom Peony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the case of the bomb peony, its guard petals (petals surrounding the outer layer of the peony) are longer than the petals inside, which resembles a floral explosion of sorts. The stamen and stigma are enveloped between the long petals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peony blooms can be presented in a myriad of shapes and colours. Through years of research, the number of peony variations have increased with time and it is not easy to keep track of all of them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caring for a Peony Bouquet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In order to prolong the life and appearance of cut flowers, there are various measures you can take that may only require 5 minutes of your time a day. Remove the flowers from the wrapping and diagonally cut off about 2cm of the stem from the bottom. Put them in a thoroughly washed vase. As peonies have large heads, you can place the stalks in a criss-cross manner to prevent the heads from touching each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fill the vase with about a third of water, and remove any leaves touching the water. Change the water every day. You can also add flower food into the water, as per the flower food packet\u2019s instructions. To further prolong the flowers\u2019 life, store them in a cool and dark room away from direct sunlight, or add ice cubes into the water. Direct sunlight and warmth causes plants to wilt quickly as they are unable to absorb as much water from the roots as moisture is being taken away from the plant, in a process called transpiration. If your peony is not fully in bloom, you can use warm water instead to open up the flower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Peony\u2019s Significance In Various Countries and Cultures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As peonies are lush, beautiful flowers, they have served to be an inspiration to various cultures and countries, inspiring the birth of various symbolisms across different regions. Compared to the rose, which is often seen as a classic symbol of passion and romance, the peony is often seen as a regal flower of understated elegance. In 2017 alone, China exported more than 2.7 million dollars of peonies into the United States, the European Union, Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East! It appears that the beauty of peony flowers is being appreciated globally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I was interested in what my peers’ thought of the peony flower, I conducted a little survey among them to find out what their impressions of the peony flower were.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked which\ncultures they thought the peony is synonymous with, most picked Chinese,\nJapanese, followed by various European countries. The peony is indeed most\nprominently found in the histories of these countries, as the flower is native\nto their temperate climates.\n\nOf course, thanks to the efficient transport\nsystems we have today, the peony flower has also managed to make its way into\nthe festivities of countries in which the peony is not native to, and has even\nappeared in Malay weddings!\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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China<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The peony has a long history in China, dating back to 551BC where peonies were used to flavor food as well as used as medicine. In the Tang dynasty, Peonies started to be taken in high regard as it was cultivated in the imperial gardens. Known as the \u2018King Of Flowers\u2019, the Peony represents prosperity, opulence, beauty, and honor<\/strong>. Its nobility and elegance had inspired countless paintings, poetry, and music. The peony has also inspired the Chinese idiom \u570b\u8272\u5929\u9999, which roughly translates into \u201creigning beauty and heavenly fragrance\u201d. This idiom was then later commonly used to describe feminine beauty. In the Qing dynasty, Dowager Cixi named the Peony the national flower. However, the current Chinese national flower remains undecided, as the plum blossom is also a strong contender. <\/p>\n\n\n\n