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Paeoniaceae FAMILY

Paeonia officinalis

Paeonia officinalis

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The entire plant is poisonous if taken in large doses[1, 2].

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Requires a deep rich soil, preferably neutral or slightly alkaline[3, 4], doing quite well in sun or light shade[5]. Plants are tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, but will not survive if the soil becomes waterlogged or is too dry[6]. This species is lime tolerant[5]. Plants grown on sandy soils tend to produce more leaves and less flowers, whilst those growing on clay take longer to become established but produce better blooms[6]. Plants can be naturalised in grass so long as the soil is good[4]. Hardy to about -25°c[7]. A very variable plant, there are at least 4 sub-species[6]. There are a number of named forms, selected for their ornamental value[7]. A long-lived plant, living for 50 years or more in gardens[5]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[4]. A very greedy plant inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[8]. This species can spread fairly freely by means of its tuberous rootstock[4]. Strongly resents root disturbance, taking some time to recover after being divided[3]. Peony species are usually self-fertile, though they will also hybridise with other species if these flower nearby at the same time[6]. Plants take 4 - 5 years to flower from seed[5]. They generally breed true from seed[3].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[6]. When sown fresh, the seed produces a root about 6 weeks after sowing with shoots formed in the spring[5]. Stored seed is much slower, it should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame but may take 18 months or more to germinate[5]. The roots are very sensitive to disturbance, so many growers allow the seedlings to remain in their pots for 2 growing seasons before potting them up. This allows a better root system to develop that is more resilient to disturbance[6]. If following this practice, make sure you sow the seed thinly, and give regular liquid feeds in the growing season to ensure the plants are well fed. We usually prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, and then grow them on in a cold frame for at least two growing seasons before planting them out when they are in growth in the spring[PFAF]. Division with great care in spring or autumn. Each portion must have a leaf bud. If the lifted root is stood in shade for several hours it becomes less brittle and easier to divide[5]. Divisions that have several buds will usually flower in the second year, but those that only have one or two buds will take a number of years before they have grown sufficiently to flower[6]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Paeonia+officinalis>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. — Chiej. R. · MacDonald · 1984 · ISBN 0-356-10541-5 ↩︎Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
  2. [2]The Herb Book. — Lust. J. · Bantam books · 1983 · ISBN 0-553-23827-2 ↩︎Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  5. [5]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  6. [6]The Gardener's Guide to Growing Peonies. — Page. M. · David & Charles. Newton Abbot. · 1997 · ISBN 0 7153 0531 X ↩︎A nice little book on the genus, giving information on their cultivation and a little info on plant uses.
  7. [7]Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1991 · ISBN 0-330-30936-9 ↩︎Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
  8. [8]How to Enjoy your Weeds. — Hatfield. A. W. · Frederick Muller Ltd · 1977 · ISBN 0-584-10141-4 ↩︎Interesting reading.
  9. [9]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  10. [10]Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications · 1990 · ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 ↩︎Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
  11. [11]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  12. [12]The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants — Chevallier. A. · Dorling Kindersley. London · 1996 · ISBN 9-780751-303148 ↩︎An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
  13. [13]A Modern Herbal. — Grieve. · Penguin · 1984 · ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 ↩︎Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
  14. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎