Flower Facts: All About Peonies

Voluptuous green so leisurely and tranquil

and robe of red now light, now dark

heart of the flower sadness about to break

but how could we know this from such spring colours.

- “The Red Peony” by Wang Wei

The buxom bloom of the peony has impressed flower-lovers for centuries. Its very large pastel-coloured blooms make them a flower that is hard to ignore, especially with its intoxicatingly lovely fragrance. Peonies are a spring to late summer blooming flower that has a long history in the East and the West, both rich in history and symbolism.

Peony Pronunciation

pee·uh·nee

Peony Scientific Information

Peonies belong to the Paeonia genus, which is the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. The common peony or garden peony is called Paeonia Officinalis. Peonies are a perennial flower that can live for up to 100 years under the right conditions. There are around 33 different species of peonies with the Paeonia genus. The common herbaceous type can grow between 0.25–1 metres tall while some of the shrub types can grow between 0.25–3.5 metres. Peony flowers are large and either circular or orbital in shape. Peonies bloom from the spring to late summer for around 7-10 days.

Peony Origins

Peonies prefer the temperate and cold areas of the Northern Hemisphere, in which they are native to a large number of countries within Asia, Europe and the Western part of North America.

History of the Peony

Peonies have been cultivated in the East for over 2,000 years. In China and Japan, the peony is woven into their culture, food, artwork, and medicine and is still today one of the most revered flowers. The peony was named as the national flower of China in 1903 during the Qing dynasty, a title it no longer officially holds but is still favoured.

In Europe, the Greeks peonies are rooted in their mythology and were regarded for its medicinal properties for issues such as childbirth pain, menstrual cramps, stomach and gastrointestinal issues, spasms, epilepsy and more. This associate with healing led the Greeks is discussed with the gods with the myth of Paeon, of which the name peony is could be derived from. Peony itself also meanings ‘healing’.

Peony Colours

Peonies come in a nearly endless variety of natural hues and shades. The only natural colour it doesn’t seem to come in is blue. Peonies can have two different shades that blend or fade or have tipped petals in different colours.

●Red

●White

●Pink

●Yellow

●Purple

●Orange

●Green

●Bi-Colour

●Picotee

Common Peony Types

There are three main types of peonies: herbaceous, tree, and itoh.

Herbaceous:

Also known as bush peonies, herbaceous is the most common type of cut peony that you find in flower arrangements but are also easy garden plants. Herbaceous peonies are low maintenance flowers that are naturally pest-resistant, require little water, and will grow back in the same spot year after year.

Tree:

Tree peonies are a shrub type of peony that is native to China. They get their names from their stalky wood-like stems and they defoliate like deciduous trees in the autumn. Its flower blooms are extremely large, growing sometimes between 7-10 inches across. They range in height from 20 inches to 7 ft.

Itoh:

Itoh peonies are a cross between a herbaceous and a tree peony and are also sometimes called intersectional peonies. It takes the best of both plants, the large flowers of the tree peony and the hardiness and ease-of-care of the herbaceous.

Image by Mike Goad from Pixabay

Bloom types:

As herbaceous are the most popular, they have five types of bloom shapes that have been cultivated: single bloom, Japanese, semi-double, bomb, and full-double. Within these shapes are a wide variety of popular types.

oMadame Butterfly – Japanese

oTourangelle – Full-double

oBuckeye Belle –Semi-double

oImperial Red – Single

oMonsieur Jules Elie - Bomb

Peony Symbolism

The peony has a variety of meanings that stretch across history and the world.

Greek Mythology

For the Greeks, two myths surround the peony. Paeon was a doctor taught by the Greek god Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. Paeon angered his teacher after he took the liquid from the root of a peony to cure the god Pluto. Asclepius wanted to kill Paeon as he was displaying techniques that were outshining him as a god and as a teacher. Zeus saved Paeon from this death by turning him into a beautiful peony flower.

The second myth relates to a nymph named Paeonia. She attracted the attention of Apollo by her beauty. A spiteful Aphrodite turned poor Paeonia into a peony. Both myths have links to the origins of the name of peonies, Paeon and Paeonia.

Chinese Symbolism

The peony has long been associated with royalty and honour in many Eastern cultures, including China. The flower plays a role in various Chinese holidays and traditions such as during Chinese New Year on during a wedding as they embody prosperity, romance, beauty and honour. Further, in simplified Chinese, both the tree and herbaceous peony refers to its history as a medicinal plant of healing.

Victorian Symbolism

During the Victorian era, peonies became associated with back luck. It was especially bad luck to dig up a peony. This symbolism could be derived from the unluckiness that Paeonia experienced in the Greek myth.

Modern Meaning

Today and in many cultures, peonies symbolise elegance, romance, wealth, good luck and abundance.

Peony Flower Arrangements

Peonies make wonderful cut flower arrangements which can be attributed to their hardiness, symbolism and shape. Due to the large size of the peony bloom, peonies look best when they’re the focal point of a an arrangement or if they’re arranged with similar flower sizes like hydrangeas. Here are a few great peony flower arrangement ideas:

◆Hydrangeas and peonies make for a stunning arrangement with contrasting pastel colours.

◆Peonies are a popular wedding flower bouquet across the globe but especially in the East. Deep shades of red, purple and pink are favoured for its symbolic prosperity and beauty.

◆Peonies look beautiful in a bowl or circular shaped vases as it matches their shape. Floating arrangements of peonies are especially stunning.

◆Peonies and hellebores of similar colour look stunning with an arrangement of accompanying greens or decorative grass.

◆As peonies are large and round they pair well with flowers that grow tall and long. Such as delphiniums or larkspur.

◆Peonies pair well with a variety of shapes and sizes of roses too.

◆Bouquets of peonies and other flowers of similar hue create a striking variety of shapes especially with darker shades of flower fillers or décor.

◆Peonies, tulips, and calla lilies pair nicely together due to their contrasting shapes. They also make and appropriate spring flower arrangements.

◆Sweet peas complement the fragrance of a peony making for a lovely and aromatic flower arrangement.

Peony Care

Not only are peonies beautiful but they’re very easy to care for, both in a garden but also as cut flowers.

Peony Garden Care

It is important to note that when planting peonies that they rarely bloom within the first year of planting and then it can take up three years before peonies bloom abundantly after planting so plan your garden accordingly.

Once your peonies are in full bloom, they will provide an abundance of flowers that are very low maintenance. They require no dividing and don’t require much water. Peonies are also very pest resistant. You may find ants on some species of peony as they are drawn to the sap on the flower but they don’t harm the flower and help to keep other pests away.

Cut Peony Flower Care

Peonies should be cut while the flowers are in still in bud. They can be stored in the fridge while in water for several weeks too. When you’re ready to put them on display bring the flower out and cut the stems when they are at room temperature. The flower buds will open in several days. If a flower doesn’t open, it may be that they are covered in sap that can stop it from opening. To help the bud out, take the flower from the bouquet and hold the flower head under a tap of room temperature water to remove the sap.

General Flower Care:

●Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle.

●Use flower food.

●Prune and remove any dead or dying leaves or petals, especially if they’ve fallen in the water.

●Change the water daily.

●Keep flowers away from drafts, fans, and appliances that give off heat.

More Peony Facts

◆The peony is the official flower for a 12th wedding anniversary.

◆The peony is the state flower of Indiana.

◆Peonies are often cooked into a variety of Chinese desserts while fresh peony petals can be consumed in the form of salad or used as a garnish for lemonade.

◆In Luoyang, China hosts dozens of peony exhibitions and shows every year where it is believed that some of the best peonies in the country are grown.