Peony
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Dilleniales
Family: Paeoniaceae
Genus: Paeonia

The Peony is flowering plant in the Paeonia genus and is a herbaceous perennial shrub and distant relative to the elephant apple that in its non-hybridized form produces large fragrant flowers in shaed of red to white in late spring and early summer. The plant is native to China.

Species of peonies include:

  • Brown's Peony (Paeonia brownii]]
  • California Peony (Paeonia californica)
  • Chinese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
  • Peony (common) (Paeonia officinalis)
  • Tree peony (P. suffruticosa) - a non-herbaceous, woody shrub

Table of contents
1 Folk medicine
2 State flower of Indiana
3 External links

Folk medicine

"Ebisugusuri", the Japanese name for the peony means "medicine from China." In traditional folk medicine, peony root was used as a treatment for menstrual cramps, asthma and convulsions.


1800s botanical drawing of a single-flowered peony.

State flower of Indiana

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

External links