Peony
Blooms: late spring. June in the Japanese floral calendar.
Flower Language:
Shame, bashfulness* (Victorian)
Healing (Greek)
Happy marriage and virility. (Japanese)
Wealth, luck. Elegance and poise. (Chinese)
*it was thought to be the hiding place of a dishonorable nymph.
Emblem:
State flower of Indiana.
National Flower of the Qing Dynasty (Modern day China does not have a national flower)
National Flower of Mongolia
American spirit, ambition and determination to adapt and thrive.
(In the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876, peony was used to symbolize these).
Mythology/Folklore:
Medicinal powers of the plant are legendary-- it was named for Paeon, physician to the Greek gods, and a student of Asclepius, god of medicine and healing. Leto, goddess of fertility, told Paeon about a magical root growing on Mount Olympus that would soothe the pain of childbirth. When Paeon went to get this root, Asclepius became jealous and angry and threatened to kill his pupil. Leto begged help from Zeus, who saved Paeon from the wrath of his teacher by changing him into the peony flower.
Because of this legend, peony seeds have been given to pregnant women for centuries.
Among its magical powers are the ability to protect shepherds and their flocks, to ward off storms, demons, and nightmares, and to preserve the harvest from danger. Mothers in rural areas hung strings of peony seeds around an infant's neck as protection against the “Evil Eye.”
It was also thought that the roots, held over a person's head or around the neck, would cure insanity.
History/Modern Uses:
The Chinese have grown this flower for over 2,000 years. The name for it in Chinese is “sho-yo,” which means 'the beautiful.' and it is considered the flower of prosperity. One Chinese emperor called peonies 'roses of spring,' and a single specimen sold for as much as 100 ounces of gold.
The Chinese call Peonies the King of flowers or the Flower Fairy.
In Japan Paeonia suffruticosa is called the "The King of flowers" and Paeonia lactiflora is called the "prime minister of flowers." It is a good flower choice for weddings, as peonies are regarded as an aphrodisiac.
One of the greatest attributes of peonies is their longevitiy, as some plants are reported to be over 100 years old.
The only country ever named for a flower was Paeonia, located in what is now northern Greece in ancient times.
Flower Language:
Shame, bashfulness* (Victorian)
Healing (Greek)
Happy marriage and virility. (Japanese)
Wealth, luck. Elegance and poise. (Chinese)
*it was thought to be the hiding place of a dishonorable nymph.
Emblem:
State flower of Indiana.
National Flower of the Qing Dynasty (Modern day China does not have a national flower)
National Flower of Mongolia
American spirit, ambition and determination to adapt and thrive.
(In the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876, peony was used to symbolize these).
Mythology/Folklore:
Medicinal powers of the plant are legendary-- it was named for Paeon, physician to the Greek gods, and a student of Asclepius, god of medicine and healing. Leto, goddess of fertility, told Paeon about a magical root growing on Mount Olympus that would soothe the pain of childbirth. When Paeon went to get this root, Asclepius became jealous and angry and threatened to kill his pupil. Leto begged help from Zeus, who saved Paeon from the wrath of his teacher by changing him into the peony flower.
Because of this legend, peony seeds have been given to pregnant women for centuries.
Among its magical powers are the ability to protect shepherds and their flocks, to ward off storms, demons, and nightmares, and to preserve the harvest from danger. Mothers in rural areas hung strings of peony seeds around an infant's neck as protection against the “Evil Eye.”
It was also thought that the roots, held over a person's head or around the neck, would cure insanity.
History/Modern Uses:
The Chinese have grown this flower for over 2,000 years. The name for it in Chinese is “sho-yo,” which means 'the beautiful.' and it is considered the flower of prosperity. One Chinese emperor called peonies 'roses of spring,' and a single specimen sold for as much as 100 ounces of gold.
The Chinese call Peonies the King of flowers or the Flower Fairy.
In Japan Paeonia suffruticosa is called the "The King of flowers" and Paeonia lactiflora is called the "prime minister of flowers." It is a good flower choice for weddings, as peonies are regarded as an aphrodisiac.
One of the greatest attributes of peonies is their longevitiy, as some plants are reported to be over 100 years old.
The only country ever named for a flower was Paeonia, located in what is now northern Greece in ancient times.
