Paeonia lactiflora
Origin: China
Improvement status: Unknown
Seeds per packet: 10
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Perennial
This is the common garden peony, the beloved cold-hardy perennial herbaceous flower native to east Asia from eastern Tibet across northern China and into Siberia, typically sold as a root. But growing from seed means you can develop your own new varieties! It has been cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant in China since at least the 7th century, and was introduced to England and Europe by the mid-18th century, after which hundreds of new ornamental cultivars were bred. The flowers inspired famous European painters from Monet and Manet to Renoir and Van Gogh, all of whom used them as subjects. Gardeners across the temperate world now prize their peony beds and await the showy blossoms each spring. Those in the know also prize the beauty and flavor of peony flowers in culinary applications, from colorful jams and jellies to beverages!
Even less known are the medicinal applications of peony — except, of course, in China, where it has been used medicinally for over a thousand years. It's the root that is typically used, and most commonly as a treatment for painful inflammatory and autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, as well as muscle cramping and spasms, abdominal pain, migraines, and nerve pain. It's also considered a "women's tonic," used against menstrual disorders like painful cramping, irregular periods, and premenstrual tension, as well as in the management of some menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Researchers are studing peony for its potential neuroprotective capabilties (such as against Parkinson's disease), in treating anxiety and depression by regulating neurotransmitter levels and reducing neuroinflammation, and against illnesses from lupus to psoriasis. It has long been used to treat liver diseases (like viral hepatitis) and ulcerative colitis. The main active constituent is called paeoniflorin, a monoterpenoid glycoside, though peony root also contains various bioactive flavonoids, tannins, and volatile oils. In China, an extract called Total Glucosides of Peony (TGP) is approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Peony should be avoided during pregnancy and by those using anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs due to its blood-thinning properties.
Our China-grown seed comes from the good folks at Sheffield's Seeds in Locke, New York.
GROWING TIPS: Seeds can be a bit tricky, but this protocol should due the trick: Soak seeds 24 hours, then warm-moist stratify for 90 days (at room temperature), then cold-moist stratify for 90 more (in the fridge). Plantv seeds an inch deep and water well while getting established (but don't waterlog the soil perpetually). Choose a site that has good air circulation to prevent fungal issues. Full sun is best, with some afternoon shade in hotter climates.
NOTE: Photos attached are all public domain images of this species (or perhaps hybrids). We do not have images of the plants that yielded these seeds.
