Common peony
Paeonia officinalis
Botanical family: Paeoniaceae
A large perennial with spectacular flowers, grown for ornament; its root (especially that of Paeonia lactiflora, 'bai shao') holds a large place in traditional Chinese medicine.
Sun to partial shade
Rich, deep, cool and well-drained
Moderate, moist but well-drained soil
Very hardy
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A very long-lived ornamental perennial (several decades), nectar-bearing in spring.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Flowers in spring; the medicinal root is lifted in autumn.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Paeonia officinalis » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Paeonia+officinalis)
- Au Jardin.info, « Pivoine officinale » (aujardin.info/plantes/paeonia-officinalis.php)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Active pharmacology: medicinal use reserved for a professional setting; not advised during pregnancy. The fresh plant is not a food: the ornamental petals are not to be eaten (an ornamental plant, slightly toxic raw, digestive upset). Data mostly from Chinese tradition.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Archaic Greece, Homer, Iliad (book V) · Greece (eastern Mediterranean)
The name of the genus Paeonia comes from Paieon (Paion), the physician of the Olympian gods. In the Iliad (book V), Paieon heals Ares wounded by Diomedes by spreading pain-soothing remedies on the wound, and Dione recalls that he had likewise cared for Hades wounded by Heracles. It is from this divine healer that Greek botany, then Linnaeus, drew the name of the peony, a plant held to be medicinal since antiquity (Theophrastus and Pliny name it paionia / glykyside).
Homère, Iliade, chant V, v. 401 (Paiêôn guérit Hadès) et v. 899-901 (Paiêôn guérit Arès) ; traduction anglaise intégrale du chant V (poetryintranslation.com).
Attested fact: Homer makes Paieon the physician of the gods; the etymological link peony ← Paion is ancient. The account very widespread among florists, that Zeus is said to have metamorphosed Paion into a peony flower out of jealousy of Asclepius, is attested by NO known ancient source, it's a modern reconstruction, not presented here as a Greek myth. SPECIES NUANCE: the paionia of the Greeks designates the European peony (Paeonia officinalis or P. mascula), which corresponds well to the species of this sheet.
Song China, Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072) · Luoyang (Henan), China
In the Luoyang mudan ji ('Treatise on the peonies of Luoyang', around 1034), Ouyang Xiu reports that the tree peony (mudan) is nicknamed the 'king of flowers' (花王, huawang). He quotes Qian Sigong: 'people call the peony the king of flowers; today the Yao Huang variety truly deserves this title, and the Wei flower comes just after'. In Luoyang the esteem is such that it is designated simply as 'the flower' (花), it being understood that 'the only true flower under Heaven is the peony' (天下真花獨牡丹).
Ouyang Xiu, Luoyang mudan ji (洛陽牡丹記), vers 1034 ; Wikisource chinois, passages « 錢思公曰：人謂牡丹花王，今姚黃真可為王，而魏花乃後也 » et « 其意謂天下真花獨牡丹 ».
A CRUCIAL SPECIES NUANCE: the Chinese 'king of flowers' is the tree peony mudan (Paeonia × suffruticosa), and the Chinese medicinal peony 'bai shao' is the herbaceous shaoyao (Paeonia lactiflora), neither is the European Paeonia officinalis targeted by the sheet. Attributing the tradition of the 'king of flowers of Luoyang' to P. officinalis would be a confusion of species. Likewise, the legend of Empress Wu Zetian banishing the peony from Chang'an to Luoyang is a late folkloric tale, absent from Ouyang Xiu and the Tang sources; it is not given here as a historical fact.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers sun to partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, deep, cool and well-drained.