When to Pick Your Peonies for the LONGEST vase life

Peonies are so lovely. Baby soft petals, heavenly scented blooms, lush deep green foliage… I could go on and on! It is a shame peony flowers are so ephemeral.

Peony “Sarah Bernhardt”

If you want to bring your peonies inside to enjoy the blooms (or maybe you’re feeling generous and you want to share with your friends and family), you should pick them while they’re in the “marshmallow” stage. The marshmallow stage is when your peony buds are still mostly closed, but soft and squishy to the touch. There should be some “give” to them if squeezed.

This bud is in the later marshmallow stage. Just starting to open its petals. Soft and squishy.

Compare that to this peony bud, which is still quite hard and closed.

Juuuuuuuuust starting to open. A tiny bit too hard. On a hot day, this peony bud could be ready later in the evening.