PetalPal
Toxic to cats and dogs (especially the roots and stems). Eating it causes vomiting and diarrhea. Don't let pets chew on them.
Light
Out of direct sun
Water
Change the water every day
Temperature
If it's slow to open, move it somewhere warm
Preservative
Not needed
Do this when you get home
- Pick buds that feel like a marshmallow, a little soft. Rock-hard buds often never open.
- Wipe the sticky sugar off the outside of the bud with a damp cloth, or the petals glue shut and won't open
- Cut the stems on a slant, 3 cm, and condition them in deep water for 2-3 hours
Day to day
- Want them open sooner: somewhere warm, with warm water. Want them to last: somewhere cool.
- Change the water every day. Once they're open they drink a lot.
- At full bloom the petals start to drop. That's normal.
Common questions
The bud never opens?
Wipe the sugar off the bud, recut the stem, and switch to warm water (around 30°C). Put it somewhere warm. A bud that's still rock-hard is a "stalled bud" and won't open.
There are little ants?
Peony buds are sugary and ants like them. Rinse the bud under clean water.
