What is the value of one peony root for a fresh cut flower grower?

If you are an aspiring market grower considering planting peonies for profit, these may be some useful numbers. Let’s keep in mind, peony growing is a project planned in decades, not in just a season’s time frame like annual flowers grown from seed. Before planting, a lot of planning and calculations should be done.

When it comes to assigning value to a flower, there are many things to consider. Some of them, are purely qualitative. The joy of being a steward for the land. The reward of seeing a strong healthy bloom in all of it’s glory. The deep sense of accomplishment. The gratifying process of teaching the techniques involved to our children. These concepts all have strong value. These values may be interpreted differently by everyone, so for that half of the equation, I’ll leave you to be the judge.

What we can focus on with relative certainty is the quantitative value of one peony root. This is essentially a math equation. In the equation , we will assume the grower is successful in planting, maintaining, and nurturing the peony root. This is no small feat however. Before you bank on peonies, it is essential to start small and master the techniques, not only for this particular flower, but also for how to grow it in your specific climate. Once this is accomplished, then you’ll want to additionally master the logistical aspects of harvesting, processing, and selling the blooms. With all of these trials behind, we can then focus on the math and see what the peonies can do!

So, lets begin!

“I” = initial input (cost of root - $20, fertilizer- $5, compost - $5, mulch -$5, labor to plant - $5)

“O” = ongoing annual maintenance = average 1 hour per plant per year (weeding, cutting back, harvesting, preventative spraying - at $20/hr labor rate = high end estimate annual labor per plant of $20).

“Y” = yield in cut stems per year starting year 4 after planting. There is a lot of variation here. Lactifloras like ‘Duchesse de Nemours’ or ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ can easily yield 40 stems per season. Other modern hybrids may be limited to 20 stems per year. For the sake of a conservative estimate, let’s go with 20, and keep in mind much greater yields are possible.

“P” = value per stem- again, much variation. A conservative middle number would be $3/stem. Again, lets keep in mind this is a conservative number. We can often fetch higher prices for rare varieties, or use them in designs or bouquets where the per stem value is higher.

“T” = time. These plants often live decades more than 50 years.. For the sake of remaining conservative, we’ll limit the time frame to just 50.

Here’s the equation we need to solve:

A - B = Value

A = Yield x Per stem value x Time = (20 stems x $3/stem x 50 years)

A = $3,000

B = Initial cost + (Ongoing maintenance cost x Time 50 years) = $40 + ($20x50)

B= $1,040

A = $3,000, B = $1040

A - B = $1960

$1,960 is the value we can expect from 1 peony root.

One mid-priced, mid-yielding peony root has a value to a cut flower grower of approximately $1,960.

Change the # of stems, the price per stem, or the time harvesting and the numbers can change exponentially. Divide the peony at some point, and then you can apply the original equation to each new root. The gain will be exponential. 

Keep in mind this is a general outline. With this information, we can plan a bit better on how to allocate resources for future peony plantings. 

With limited growing space, you can use projections like these to compare different crops and decide how to best use space. 

The next question that may come to mind, is “ Where to start?”. The answer for that is to start by preparing your soil exceptionally well. We only want to plant peonies once, and we want them to thrive. Find a location with rich soil, excellent drainage, and good full sun. In this location, you can start now, by planting a cover crop specifically to build nutrients and organic matter. For more on this, scan through some previous blog posts, where I’ve outlined some top choices. There are winter cover crops for southern growers, and there are frost seeded or very early spring seeded cover crops. Check out the S.A.R.E. publication " Managing Cover Crops Profitably "

Growing peonies takes many years and is a big investment. The clock is ticking and the best thing to do is get started! Planning, ordering roots, improving drainage, sowing cover crops, amending soil… these are all tasks that can get started in the winter and very early spring.

Best wishes and cheers to longer days!

-Walt

About the Author: Walt Krukowski started Mountain Flower Farm in 1998, and has been growing peonies on a hillside farm in Warren, VT ever since. Mountain Flower Farm specializes in shipping seasonal cut flowers and woody branches to discerning floral designers nationwide. The farm also produces peony root divisions and provides them at wholesale prices to growers throughout the USA. You can visit online:www.mountainflowerfarm.com