The amazing peony.

There are many myths surrounding this flower, my favourite being that the name peony comes from the Greek word Paean.

The Greek god Asclepius (the Physician to the gods) was said to have a student called Paean and when Paean became too good Asclepius became jealous. Zeus witnessed this and decided to protect Paean by tuning him into the flower The peony giving the peony Medicinal properties to honour Paean.

Poena the healing flower.

The peony has been used in china for its medicinal properties for around 3000 years and over 500 years across Europe. The medicinal properties vary depending on which species of peony and also which part of the plant is being used: the roots or the petals but the

list of ingredients and properties is extensive.

Here is a list just some of the things the peony has been said to have been used to treat over the centuries.

Headache, migraine and fever.

Arthritic and joint pain.

Insomnia, anxiety, depression, mood swings as they are said to have a calming effect.

They are said to have been used for infections fungal and bacterial, cuts and wounds and many skin conditions such as eczema and skin burns and the list goes on the remedies came straight from the plant but now can be obtained to have in tea form extract or capsules.

There are superstitions surrounding the peony if you believe in that kind of thing. One is that if you have them indoors and they open fully it means good luck is coming your way however if they do not open or dry out before they are open then to prepare for bad news. I personally am not superstitious and believe that the bad luck is that my flowers did not open.

Another is that it is unlucky to have them in odd numbers.

The peony has become a very popular wedding flower but is important to remember if you are planning on having peonies in your wedding flowers they have a very short flowering season and are not available all year round.

The season for the peony starts in April and through may to June.

The peony is given in a bouquet for the twelfth wedding anniversary.

And its meaning as a flower is romance, good fortune and of course compassion as shown from Zeus with Paean.