Do you like peonies? When I think of peonies, I think of their vibrant colors and the fragrant, deep aroma. Today, we're going to learn about peonies, a flower that everyone knows, but not much is known about. I'm also going to introduce you to a beautiful variety of peonies that we don't know well.

Let me introduce you to peonies first. Peony is called Peony root in English, and in Chinese it is 芍藥, which means "ham-bak-kkot (a type of flower)" and "yak (medicine)." So, the other name of peony is "ham-bak-kkot".

It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and grows to a size of 50 to 100 cm, mainly used for ornamental purposes. The flower colors are various such as red, white, and pink, and there are many horticultural varieties. Also, many varieties have strong scents.

Peonies are often used as cut flowers and are often used for wedding bouquets. Do you know why?

There will be various reasons, right? Anyone would want to use it as a wedding bouquet for its beautiful appearance and fragrance. But, isn't it because the flower language of peony is “shyness”? This kind of flower language seems to be a word that goes well with the bride.

If you sow seeds between September and October, it usually blooms between May and June.

Its origin is China, and it is distributed in Korea, Japan, China, Mongolia, and East Siberia.

Since its origin is China, there are many related proverbs and words, but in China, it also has a flower language that means "I can't bear to leave" (依依不舍, 难舍难分). It is said that lovers often give each other this flower. There is also a saying called 'shak-yak-ji-jeong (芍藥之贈)', which means sending a fragrant peony flower to each other to deepen the affection between a man and a woman. Also, as you all must have learned at school, do you remember 'hwa-jung-wang (king of flowers)?' Peony is called 'hwa-wang (king of flowers)' while peony is called 'hwa-sang (minister of flowers)'.

A fun fact to tell you is that the genus name 'paeony' is said to be derived from the name 'Paeon', a Greek mythological figure who first used this plant for medicinal purposes. Also, as the character 'yak (medicine)' is included, peony has medicinal properties and its roots are used as medicine. It is said to be helpful for menstrual cramps, so it is also boiled and drunk as peony tea.

It is often mistaken for a tree peony because of its flower shape, but the two are very different plants. Remember that the tree peony is a tree and the peony is a herb, and you will be able to tell the difference easily. It is also confused with the 'ham-bak-kkot-namu (tree with 'ham-bak-kkot')', which is said to be because the other name of peony is 'ham-bak-kkot'. However, the two flowers have different shapes and different ecologies.

There is a sad legend. There was a prince and a princess who were in love. However, the prince went to the battlefield, and the princess waited for him, but she heard rumors that the prince had died in battle. The princess half-believed the rumor and went to the country where the prince lived, but unfortunately, the prince was really dead, and a tree peony was blooming in his place. After learning this, the princess, overwhelmed with sadness, prayed to the gods to be with the prince. The god, pitying her, granted her request and turned her into a peony.

Also, peony is a large and beautiful flower that stands out, so it has often been used as one of the subjects of paintings regardless of time and place. Even today, it is often drawn in illustrations, embroidery, and patterns, and it is often used as a standalone element or as a decorative element (auxiliary element) that decorates the main subject of an illustration. It has been used for decoration in the past and present, and it is often used as a decorative material, not only in the form of fresh flowers but also in the form of artificial flowers modeled after fresh flowers. It was also one of the symbols of beauty in the past.

Peonies are also made into perfumes. Even if they are the same flower, those that have been bred for ornamental purposes have beautiful flowers but weak scents, or those that have been bred for perfume purposes have less desirable scents compared to those bred for ornamental purposes. Because of its fragrance, it is also used as a fragrance, but it is often used alone, but when used as a perfume, it is often mixed with the scents of other flowers.

Now, you must know about peonies, right? There are many varieties of peonies, and I'll tell you about one of them. It's the salmon peony!

It is called etched salmon in English and originated in the United States. It was registered in 1981 by Kuschins and Clem. In 2002, it won a gold medal from the American Peony Society.

This flower is said to have a soft and sweet fragrance. Unlike the peonies we know, it has a soft scent, which makes me curious. This flower is a pale coral and pink color, and the flower size is about 100-150mm, 150-200mm. The shape of the flower is round like a small cup, and the petals are layered in a structure.

It is a tree peony with all petals, and its shape is very similar to that of a garden rose. The flower has a unique color and a certain glow due to the thousands of leaves that get darker as they approach the center of the flower. This tree peony variety is a very popular variety, and it is very popular as a cut flower. If you like beautiful flower shapes, romantic colors, and special varieties, this tree peony is the perfect choice.

That's it for peonies. Now that you know about the various stories and uses of various varieties of peonies, don't you feel closer to peonies? See you next time with a post full of interesting stories! Thank you.