The Beautiful and Fragrent Peony

Image: by D L Ennis, Peony bud taken last week 04/28/06.

I have been watching the peonies in my gardens this spring, and I have one that is particularly vigorous. It’s in a planter on my deck as are four others all under the same conditions. They are herbaceous peoines; very beautiful and very fragrent!

The flower buds of the peony secrete a sweet substance that the ants like to eat. The good news is that the ants are not harmful to your peonies! The ants don't eat the actual plant and contrary to popular belief, the ants are not required to open the buds.

The peony or paeony (Paeonia) is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. There are about 30 species of herbaceous peony and they are perennials that grow 0.5-1.5m tall. However, there are woody shrub peonies that grow up to 2-3m tall. They produce large, often fragrant flowers in shades of red to white or yellow in late spring and early summer. Peonies are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America. In the past, the Peonies were often classified as a tribe of the Ranunculaceae, along with Helleboreae and Anemoneae.

Image: by D L Ennis, The bud begins to open, taken Tuesday 02/05/06.

The peony is among the longest-used flowers in ornamental culture. Along with the plum, it is a traditional floral symbol of China, where it is called 牡丹 (mǔ dān). In 1903, the Qing Dynasty declared the peony as the national flower. Currently, the Republic of China on Taiwan designates the plum blossom as the national flower, while the People's Republic of China has no legally designated national flower. In 1994, the peony was proposed as the national flower after a nationwide poll, but the National People's Congress failed to ratify the selection. In 2003, another selection process had begun, but to date, no choice has been made.

The famous ancient Chinese city Luoyang has a reputation as a cultivation center for the peonies. Throughout Chinese history, peonies in Luoyang are often said to be the finest in the country. Dozens of peony exhibitions and shows are also annually held there.

Image: by D L Ennis, The peony bud is fully open, taken Thursday 04/05/06

In Japan its name is "Ebisugusuri" "medicine from China"; it is regarded by many Japanese as the king of flowers and is cultivated assiduously. In traditional folk medicine, peony root was used as a treatment for menstrual cramps, asthma and convulsions.

The peony is also the State flower of Indiana. In 1957, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law to make the peony the state flower. It replaced the zinnia, which had been the state flower since 1931.

Peonies are also extensively grown as ornamental plants for their very large, often scented flowers.

Have questions about peonies? Visit here.