Flower Garden: Little Known Facts About Peonies
How much do you know about peonies? Learn some little-known facts behind these beautiful, fragrant, old-fashioned plants and why they are perfect for your flower garden.
Do you like peonies? Â Maybe you have peonies growing in your garden. Â If so, consider yourself lucky to be able to grow these beautiful and fragrant flowering perennials.
I recently returned from a trip through the upper Midwest where peonies in every color, shape and size were in full bloom and on display. Â I took a lot of photos of the beautiful flowers.
Whether you have peonies growing your garden or not, how much do you know about peonies? Â Most gardeners know that they are easy to grow and that they produce beautiful flowers in late spring / early summer and then die back to the ground in winter. Â But, there are a few facts about peonies that you may not know.
– Peonies are available in every color but blue.
– The flowers can reach up to 10 inches in size depending on the variety.
– Pink flowers are more fragrant then maroon flowers.
– Native to Europe and Asia, peonies were brought over to England by the Romans in the year 1200.
– In ancient times, peonies were used for medicinal purposes including curing headaches, relieving pain during childbirth and the treatment of asthma.
– Long ago, people believed that peonies protected them from demons.
– During the Victorian era, peonies were very popular and could be seen growing in gardens throughout England.
– The early explorer Marco Polo is said to have called peonies “roses as big as cabbages”.
– Today, peonies can still be found growing in the wild in certain areas of Europe.
– Peonies are a very popular choice for bridal bouquets. Â To create your own bouquet, cut peony flowers in the early morning and put in a vase of cold water where they will last up to 5 days.
– They are the floral symbol of China. Paintings of peonies are often seen hung on the wall in order to bring good luck.
– The state flower of Indiana is the peony.
– Peonies are traditionally used for celebrating the 12th wedding anniversary.
– Peonies like cold winters and do best in zones 3 – 8. Â Herbaceous peonies need at least 400 hours of temperatures below 40 degrees while tree peonies need 100 – 300 hours in order to flower in late spring / early summer. Â In warm climates, peonies often fail to bloom.
– Ants play an important role in the blooming of peony flowers. Â The flower buds produce a nectar that attracts ants, which climb up and help to open the buds in order to get to the nectar contained within. Â Although peonies will bloom without ants, the ants do help with the process. Â Another benefit that ants offer peonies is that they help to keep damaging insects away.
– Peonies are easy to grow, making them the perfect plant for your flower garden whether you are a beginner gardener or an experienced one.
Do you grow peonies? Â What color is your favorite?
For more information on peonies including how to grow them, we have some great information in the article “Growing Tips for Peonies”.