17 peonies worldwide: a short-flowering plant and a longer cut season
A peony bush flowers for only seven to ten days a year. Cut peonies are available well beyond that week because different regions take turns supplying them, so choosing 17 peonies worldwide starts with knowing what's actually in season.
When cut peonies are in season
The Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK cut peonies from late April to June; the Netherlands alone supplies around two thirds of Europe's peonies. Alaska's season runs late June to August, in small volumes suited to summer weddings.
Chile cuts peonies from October to December, and Australia and New Zealand from October to November. Israel, Italy and France fill the gap between hemispheres, from February to April. Almost all year, then, but not quite all year.
Seventeen is an odd number. Across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and most of the former Soviet Union, odd counts go to the living and even counts mark remembrance; outside that custom, even numbers are the usual choice. If the range doesn't have the exact count or shape, a florist can put a bouquet together for the occasion and budget, sending photos and a price before payment.
All peony bouquets sit in one place, and mono bouquets are a good place to look outside peony season. Each bouquet's own listing shows its timing, with a photo sent before the courier leaves; details are on the delivery page. In a vase with water changed daily, peonies hold for five to seven days.
