Common Name: |
Common Peony |
Botanical Name: |
Paeonia officinalis |
Genus: |
Paeonia |
Family: |
Paeoniaceae |
Native Location: |
Europe |
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: |
60-70cm (24-28in) |
Width: |
60-70cm (24-28in) |
Variations: |
Alba Plena Has large, double white flowers, sometimes flushed pink. |
Rubra Plena Has dark green leaves, divided into broadly ovate segments, and large, double crimson flowers with satiny petals. Height: 70-75cm (28-30in) Width: 70-75cm (28-30in) |
|
Hardiness: |
Z2-8 |
Parts Used: |
Roots |
Properties: |
A diuretic, sedative, cleansing herb that relaxes spasms, stimulates the uterus, and constricts blood vessels. |
Medicinal Uses: |
Formerly used internally for epilepsy, convulsions, whooping cough, kidney and gall bladder stones, hemorrhoids, intestinal spasms, menstrual and postpartum problems, and varicose veins. |
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 |