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The peony or paeony (Paeonia) is actually the sole genus in the plant family Paeoniaceae. Most are herbaceous perennials that are generally 0.5-1.5m tall, but some are woody shrubs that grow up to 2-3m tall. They produce very large, often fragrant flowers that bloom in shades of red to white or yellow in late spring and early summer. They are amazingly beautful and some consder them "The Asian Rose" .
Whilst native to Asia, southern Europe they are also native to western North America. The Peonies were often classified in the past as a tribe of the Ranunculaceae, along with Helleboreae and Anemoneae. Did you know that The peony is among the longest-used flowers in ornamental culture?
Along with the plum, it is a traditional floral symbol of China, where it is known as 牡丹 (mǔ dān). In 1903, the Qing Dynasty had the plant declared as the national flower. Currently, the Republic of China on Taiwan designates that the plum blossom is the national flower, however the People's Republic of China has no legally designated national flower as such. In 1994 though, the flower was proposed as the national flower after having a nationwide poll, but the National People's Congress had failed to ratify the selection. In 2003, another selection process has begun, but still no choice has been made to date.
The famous city of Luoyang has a reputation as a cultivation centre for the peonies. Throughout the history of China, peonies in Luoyang were often said to be the finest in the country. Dozens of paeonia exhibitions and flower shows are held there annually.
Its name in Japan is "Ebisugusuri"or translated - "medicine from China"; and Peony flowers are regarded by many Japanese as the being king of flowers and is thus cultivated assiduously. In traditional folk medicine,the root was used for a treatment for menstrual cramps, asthma and also for convulsions. | 
