All about peonies | Interflora

If you’re anything like us, you have been waiting for peony season, ready to get your hands on some of these beautiful flowers.

If you’re not quite sold on peonies yet, read Our Top 4 Reasons to Love Peonies, we’re sure you’ll change your mind!

Peony History and Fun Facts

To prepare for peony season, we’ve compiled a list of peony history and fun facts; did you know all of these?

• Peonies grow natively in Asia and Europe but are also grown easily in North America and Australia in cooler areas.

• They bloom from late spring to early summer, their limited season only adding to their popularity.

• Peonies were originally called “sho yu” in China, meaning “most beautiful”. They’ve grown in China for over 1,000 years.

• The peony is the floral symbol of China and can frequently be seen in Chinese art, believed to symbolise riches and honour.

• They also carry symbolic meaning of good fortune and a happy marriage, making them an ideal wedding flower. The peony is also the 12th wedding anniversary flower.

• The peony flower is the state flower of Indiana, US.

• There are many different types of peonies, approximately 30 species in total, with over 3,000 varieties.

• Peony plants are known to live a long time, up to 100 years. So any peony trees in your garden may outlive you!

• Some varieties of peony can give out as many as 100 blooms in a single season, and one plant could give up to 10,000 blooms in its lifetime.

• Peonies are available in almost every colour except blue. The most common colours are pink and white, which are also the most fragrant.

• They are one of the largest flowers in nature, with certain varieties able to grow up to 10 inches in diameter. Adventurer Marco Polo described peony flowers as “roses as big as cabbages”.

• It is claimed that in the 1st century BC, Pliny the Elder, wrote that peonies should only be dug up at night or else a woodpecker would come and peck out your eyes.

We don’t believe this is true but what a fascinating rumour!

• They are often referred to as the King or Queen of Flowers.

• Peonies have been used for centuries as a natural remedy, with the ancient Chinese believing they could relieve headaches, ease asthma symptoms, and alleviate the pain of childbirth. Peonyroot is recognised in the Bencao Gangmu, a book of traditional Chinese medicine written during the Ming Dynasty of the 1500s.

• Partially cooked and sweetened petals of the peony flower are sometimes consumed as a dessert or tea in China, although we don’t recommend trying this at home unless you do your research first.

• Peonies are commonly used in beauty, skin, and hair products, for their scent as well as desired benefits. Believed to carry anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, the peony flower is said to ease irritation and redness.

• Not just attractive to us, peony flowers are also popular with ants, bees, and flies seeking their nectar and scent.

• Peonies have become social media stars in their own right. At the time of writing, peonies have been tagged on Instagram more than 4 million times.

Love peonies as much as we do? Shop our Peony Collection before its gone!

Take a look at our Perfect Peonies Pinterest Board.