Tree Peonies vs Herbaceous Peonies: A Melbourne Florist’s Guide

Peony season is one of our favourite times of the year at Pash.

Big, romantic and beautifully abundant, peonies have a way of making even the simplest arrangement feel special. They're particularly loved for weddings, beautiful vase arrangements and those few glorious weeks when they arrive at the flower market in abundance.

But not all peonies are the same. Two varieties you may hear about are tree peonies and herbaceous peonies — and while they're related, there are some lovely differences between them.

What Is an Herbaceous Peony?

Herbaceous peonies are the peonies most people picture when they think of a classic peony.

They produce those beautiful, full blooms with layers upon layers of petals, often in shades of white, blush, soft pink, coral and deeper pinks.

The plant dies back during winter before growing again in spring, producing flowers on long stems that make them particularly beautiful as cut flowers.

These are generally the peonies you'll see us getting excited about when they start appearing at the Melbourne flower market.

What Is a Tree Peony?

Despite the name, a tree peony isn't actually a tree. It's a woody shrub that keeps its structure throughout winter rather than dying completely back to the ground.

Tree peonies can produce spectacularly large flowers, often with a slightly more open and delicate appearance.

They're incredibly beautiful in the garden, but as florists, it's the long-stemmed herbaceous varieties that we tend to work with more frequently in bouquets and arrangements.

Tree Peonies vs Herbaceous Peonies

The easiest way to understand the difference is in how they grow.

Herbaceous peonies die back each winter and return in spring, producing their flowers on fresh stems.

Tree peonies retain their woody stems throughout the year and grow more like a shrub.

Both produce extraordinary flowers, but if you've fallen in love with the big fluffy peonies you see in bridal bouquets and flower arrangements, you're most likely looking at herbaceous peonies.

When Are Peonies in Season in Melbourne?

This is probably the question we're asked most often.

Peony season in Melbourne is relatively short, which is part of what makes them so special.

We generally start seeing locally grown peonies appear during spring, around October and November, although the exact timing changes each year depending on the weather and growing conditions.

And when they're good, they're very good.

For us, that's part of the beauty of working seasonally. We don't believe every flower needs to be available every month of the year. There's something lovely about waiting for a favourite flower to come back into season.

Peonies for Melbourne Weddings

It's no surprise that peonies are one of the most requested wedding flowers.

They're romantic without feeling too formal and work beautifully in the loose, garden-style bouquets we love creating at Pash.

If your wedding falls during peony season, we can absolutely look at incorporating them into your floral designs.

However, because flowers are a natural product, we never like to promise a particular variety months in advance. Weather, season and market availability all play a part.

Our approach is always to understand the colour, shape and feeling you love and then choose the most beautiful flowers available around your wedding date.

If peonies are at their best, wonderful. If they're not, there are plenty of other gorgeous seasonal flowers we can use to create a similar soft, abundant feeling.

How We Style Peonies at Pash

Peonies don't need too much fuss.

We love them mixed with seasonal flowers and interesting foliage, allowing their beautiful shape to be part of the arrangement rather than making everything perfectly uniform.

They're gorgeous in bridal bouquets, vase arrangements and larger event pieces, but they're equally lovely taken home as a simple bunch and allowed to open naturally.

A tight peony bud can look quite unassuming when it first arrives, then completely transform as it opens.

That's half the magic.

Caring for Cut Peonies at Home

If you're lucky enough to have a bunch of peonies at home, a little care will help you enjoy them for longer.

Start with a clean vase and fresh water, trim the stems before placing them in the vase and remove any foliage that will sit below the water line.

Change the water regularly and keep your flowers somewhere cool, away from direct sunlight and strong heat.

If your peonies arrive quite closed, don't panic. Give them a little time. Watching them gradually open into those enormous, fluffy blooms is one of the best parts.

Celebrating Peony Season at Pash

At Pash Flowers, our arrangements are led by the seasons and what looks beautiful at the market that week.

Peonies are a perfect example of why we love working this way.

They're not here all year — but when the Melbourne peony season arrives, we make the most of it.

Visit us at 403 Bay Street, Brighton, or order flowers online for delivery across Melbourne. If you're particularly hoping for peonies, give our Brighton flower shop a call and we can let you know what's looking beautiful at the market that week.