Chinese Peony

There are 30 or so species of perennials and small, deciduous shrubs in this genus, found from Europe to E Asia and western N. America. Peonies have a long history of cultivation; Paeonia lactiflora has been grown in the East since 900BCE, and P. suffruticosa was the favorite flower of Chinese emperors for over 1000 years. Paeonia officinalis was a popular medicinal herb in Europe until the 16th century, but is seldom used today. Culpeper distinguished two variants: the male peony, with purple-red flowers, barely divided leaves, and both black and crimson seeds; and the female peony, with leafier, more divided foliage, smaller, scented, darker purple flowers, and black seeds. They were used for male and female complaints respectively. The uses of P. lactiflora date back to at least CE500. Paeonia suffruticosa was first mentioned in Chinese medicine in Pouch of Pearls, a 12th-century work by Zhang Yuan-Su. Regardless of flower or root color, the roots of cultivated wild plants are considered to be different drugs by Chinese herbalists. Cultivated ("white peony") P. lactiflora is a yin tonic for the liver and circulation, known as bai shao; wild-collected plants are termed "red peony" (chi shao) and considered mainly as a remedy for cooling the blood. The roots of both P. lactiflora and P. veitchii are harvested from the wild as the drug chi shao, which was used successfully to treat eczema at the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London. Paeonia is named after Paeon, physician to the Greek gods.

Perennial with fleshy roots, red-marked stems and dark green leaves divided into elliptic to lanceolate, tapering leaflets, which have rough margins. Fragrant, single, white flowers, 7-10cm (3-4in) across, with pale yellow stamens, appear in late spring and early summer.

Common Name:	Chinese Peony
Botanical Name:	Paeonia lactiflora syn. P. albiflora
Genus:	Paeonia
Family:	Paeoniaceae
Native Location:	Tibet to N and W China, Mongolia, and E Siberia.
Cultivation:	Rich, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, avoiding early morning sun, which may cause damage after frost. Remove dead wood from P. suffruticosa in early spring. Shoots and buds may be damaged by peony wilt (gray mold blight). Foliage may be damaged by leafspot and virus diseases. Buds and stem bases may be affected by Botyrtis. Susceptible to nematodes.
Propagation:	By seed sown in autumn (species only); by division in autumn or early spring; by root cuttings in winter (P. lactiflora and P. officinalis); by layering or semi-ripe cuttings in spring, or grafting in winter (P. suffruticosa). Seed may take 2-3 years to germinate.
Harvest:	Roots (P. lactiflora) are lifted from cultivated plants 4-5 years old, in late summer to mid-autumn, and boiled and dried for use in decoctions, pills, powders; wild plants are lifted in spring or (preferably) autumn and sun-dried. Roots (P. officinalis) are lifted from two-year-old plants and dried for decoctions. Root bark (P. suffruticosa is stripped from the roots in autumn and used raw or dried in decoctions.
Height:	50-70cm (20-28in)
Width:	50-70cm (20-28in)
Hardiness:	Z2-8
Parts Used:	Roots (bai shao) white peony; chi shao, red peony).
Properties:	A bitter, cooling, astringent herb that reduces inflammation, relaxes spasms, and lowers fever and blood pressure. It is sour tasting, with analgesic, tranquilizing, and anti-bacterial effects.
Medicinal Uses:	Internally for menstrual complaints, injuries, and skin conditions associated with heat excess, such as eczema (chi shao), hypertension, premenstrual syndrome, and liver disorders (bai shao). Combined with Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis (See, Chinese Angelica), Chuan xiong, (See, Ósha) and Rehmannia glutinosa (See, Chinese foxglove) as "Four Things Soup", a Chinese herbal tonic for women.
Warning:	Contraindicated during pregnancy. For Use by qualified practitioners only.
Bibliography:	The Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Bown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited. Pg. 299