Peony Bouquet as a Symbol of Passionate Love and Admiration. The Origin Of Beauty

In the past, peonies, which grew for many years in the soil, were a common plant in mansions, being a part of rich outdoor gardens. They grew to impressive sizes, producing luxurious flowers every year, and turning outdoor areas into blooming fields. Today it’s rare to see those huge tree peonies – Paeonia × suffruticosa, except in botanical gardens, parks, and enthusiasts’ gardens.

The Origin Of the Name

The name “peony” comes either from the ancient Thracian region of Peonia or from the name of the Greek physician Peon, who healed the god Pluto. According to legend, the envious Aesculapius ordered Peon’s murder, but Pluto, grateful for the treatment, turned the doctor into a peony to save his life. Peonies were believed to have magical properties: they drove away evil spirits and protected people from the devil.

Peony in China

Peonies have been grown in China for over 1500 years. It is a symbol of beauty and wealth. Rich and poor, noble and common people grow this flower. Peonies delivery as gift meant consent to marriage, and its cultivation was considered a pious deed.

There are two famous legends about peonies and their power in China.

1. One of the most famous Chinese legends tells the story of an old gardener named Ho-Chi who grew incredible peonies. One day, the mandarin’s son Chang-Ei destroyed the flowers, and Ho-Chi, losing hope, began to cry. Suddenly, a girl appeared and offered her help. The flowers came to life, becoming even more beautiful. The girl disappeared, but her miracle quickly became known, and people began to flock to Ho-Chi. Chang-Ei slandered the gardener. He was sentenced to death, but the flowers turned into girls and created a hurricane, destroying the offenders. Ho Chi was saved, and his garden became even more beautiful.
2. Another legend tells of a young scientist who fell in love with a girl who turned out to be the spirit of a peony. When he wanted to marry her, the girl disappeared, explaining that she could not live among people. The scientist remained alone, growing and taking care of peonies and believing that she was now one of them.

Peonies in Other Cultures

Delicate beauty & fragrance of these flowers is the reason why people often order peony as a gift to their special people. A pink peony bouquet symbolizes shyness and pride at the same time. According to one of the legends, the goddess Flora punished the peony for its vanity, condemning it to remain puffed up and ignored by bees and girls.

• In Armenia people believe that peonies heal the demon-possessed people and they dig up the flowers during special ceremonies.
• In Switzerland, peonies used to treat suffocation and gout.
• In some areas, the peony was considered a remedy for epilepsy, and its fruits were called “witch’s nuts”.

Peony varieties

There are more than 4.5 thousand varieties of peonies. All of them are divided into three large groups:

1. Herbaceous peonies. These are powerful perennials with thickened roots. This type of peony is distinguished by the fact that it hides its renewal buds underground. At the end of the growing season, the above-ground shoots dry up. And in the spring, new green parts of herbaceous peonies develop from the rhizomes.
2. Tree peonies. These are semi-shrubby woody deciduous plants that grow up to 1.5-2 meters have thick, straight light brown stems. Tree peonies do not fade in the fall and grow stronger and stronger every year, with flowers reaching 12-20 cm in diameter.
3. ITOH peonies are intersectional hybrids of wood and herbaceous peonies. They are named after their creator, Toichi Itoh. They have strong and straight stems, multicolored petals, and short stature. They are unpretentious and frost-resistant. Flowers can be simple, double and semi-double, – their size depends on the age of the plant. The color of the petals can be very different and even multicolored.
4. Chinese-European peonies. Plants with double flowers of various shades, from pale pink to purple. The flowers are large and heavy, which is why they droop a little during the blooming period. Their leaves are large and dense.
5. Japanese peonies are really frost-resistant and have medium-size flowers, rising above green bushes in gardens.

Wild peonies are found in the Alps, Italy, and Portugal. Chinese tree peonies are especially valued, which are propagated by seeds and produce different varieties, so they are really difficult to find in most peony flower delivery services. Unfortunately, peonies are very delicate and do not always take root in other countries due to varying climatic conditions. Peonies bouquets have a rich symbolic meaning and continue to fascinate with their stories and beauty.