Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerPaeonia lactiflora
Peonies: when they're in season in Australia
In season now (November 2026): Yes in every state
Peonies are within the listed Australian season in November. The national season is October to December. Local growing conditions and supply can change the timing. Check the state guide below and ask your florist about locally grown stems before ordering, especially near the beginning or end of the season.
- Right now
- In season in November
- Season
- October to December
- Vase life
- 5 to 7 days
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Written by Dan d'Auvergne
Season by state
Flowers and pets: check before bringing a bunch home
Season months drafted from koch.com.au, katehillflowers.com.au, pinerise.com, fairviewfarmcherokee.com.au, figandbloom.com. Availability varies by grower and region. See sources
Australian peonies have one of the shortest runs at market, roughly late October to early December. Victorian farms in the Macedon Ranges, Yarra Valley and around Geelong usually lead in late October and November, while Tasmanian growers pick from mid-November into mid-December. Coral and red types such as Coral Charm tend to arrive first, with whites and then pinks following. Peonies you see in autumn, around Mother's Day, are almost always imported from the Northern Hemisphere.
Where to buy peonies
For Mother's Day
Peonies are one of the most searched Mother's Day flowers, but they are not in season here in May. Australian peonies are cut from about late October to early December, and the ones in florists around Mother's Day are imported from the Northern Hemisphere, where May is their late spring. That means they are dearer per stem than local peonies in November, and supply depends on air freight. If you have your heart set on them, order early and ask your florist to confirm they have stock rather than assuming. Imported stems often arrive as very tight buds, so a fresh cut and a few hours in cool water helps them along. Keep them out of the sun and away from heaters, and change the water every two days.
Mother's Day flower guidePriced by the stem and among the dearest flowers at market, especially early in the local season and for imported stems in autumn.
How to choose good peonies
Check the leaves and stems as closely as the buds. Leaves should be deep green and firm, with no black spots, and the stems thick and straight. Avoid buds with grey fuzz or brown patches, a sign of mould, and bunches that have been sitting in a warm shopfront. Five stems make a good vase, and even three look generous once they open. The best value usually comes in mid to late November, when Victorian and Tasmanian farms are both picking. Coral types arrive first, so if you want pinks, wait until later in the run.
Grown here or imported?
Peonies are not native to Australia, but they're grown here commercially.
Where they're grown
Peonies need a cold winter to flower well, so Australian crops are grown outdoors in cool districts, mostly in Victoria and Tasmania. They are long-lived perennials that die back to the ground each winter and send up new stems in spring, and young plants take a few years to produce stems worth selling. Growers range from Fairview Farm at Cherokee in the Macedon Ranges, which supplies in November, to Pinerise at Highcroft on the Tasman Peninsula, which picks into December. Stems are cut in bud and cooled quickly before they go to market, which is why they travel well.
Out of season, florists bring in imported stems, mostly from Netherlands. Ask your florist which you're buying: local stems are usually fresher and have travelled less.
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- blush pink
- white
- coral
- deep rose
- red
Varieties to ask for
- Coral Charm
- Red Charm
- Sarah Bernhardt
- Bowl of Beauty
Vase life
5 to 7 days
Making them last
- Buy plump buds just starting to show colour, not blooms more than half open
- Recut 2cm off the stems on an angle and strip leaves below the waterline
- Stand in clean, cool water with flower food
- Keep away from direct sun, heaters, air-conditioning vents and the fruit bowl
- Tight imported buds can be woken up with a fresh cut and a few hours in water
- Refresh the water and recut stems every two days
Using them at home
Peonies change more in the vase than almost any other flower, so leave them room. Start with tight buds in a low, wide bowl or a short jug and they open into heads several times their starting size. They pair well with delphinium and sweet peas in November, or with roses for a softer pink bunch. Coral Charm fades from coral to apricot and then cream as it opens, which is half its appeal. When the petals start to drop, float the best heads in a shallow bowl for one more day.
Meaning
Traditionally a symbol of prosperity, good fortune and a happy marriage.
Questions people ask
When are peonies in season in Australia?
Australian-grown peonies are at market from about late October to early December. Victoria usually starts first, with November the peak, and Tasmanian farms carry on from mid-November into mid-December. The exact window can move a couple of weeks depending on the spring weather.
Can you get peonies for Mother's Day in Australia?
Usually, but they will be imported, as local peonies don't flower until late October. Order early, confirm your florist actually has stock, and expect to pay more per stem than you would in November. The buds may be tight, so give the recipient a note to recut the stems and leave them in cool water to open.
What can I give instead of peonies for Mother's Day?
Look for in-season flowers with the same full, layered look. Disbud chrysanthemums carry one big bloom per stem, the last field-grown garden roses of the autumn are soft and scented, and late dahlias and lisianthus are still around in early May. Ask your florist what came in fresh that week.
Can you get peonies for Christmas in Australia?
Sometimes, but it is the very end of the season. Australian peonies run from about late October to early December, and Tasmanian growers pick into mid-December. By Christmas week local stock is thin or finished, so order in early December and ask your florist what they can still source.
Why can I buy peonies in May?
Peonies sold in autumn and early winter, including around Mother's Day, are imported from the Northern Hemisphere, where they flower in their late spring. Florists source them from Europe and the Netherlands, so expect a higher price per stem than local peonies in November.
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