Paeonia officinalis - Garden Peony - Seeds

Description

• Paeoniaceae Saxifragales
• Southern Europe - South-eastern France (PACA) and Midi-Pyrenees, to Portugal in the West, to Spain in the South, to the Alps and Hungary in the North, to Romania to the East
• H 1m x W 1m
•  Z4 
• Perennial
• Synonym: Common Peony
• Listed in the Red Book of Threatened Species under the Status: Vulnerable / Protected - National & World (excessively fragmented populations, rarefaction)
• 1 sachet of 15 seeds
  (produced by La Paradisière, no samples taken from/depriving wild populations)

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Detail

Paeonia officinalis is a polymorphic herbaceous plant, deciduous, perennial, hardy

It is becoming rare due to the destruction of its habitat and the inconsiderate picking of its sumptuous flowers

Common Peony grows in grassy meadows and at the edge of wooded areas, between 400 and 2000m height

It produces ornamental vegetation in tufts of large, dark green, bi-ternatized, deciduous leaves, emerging in spring from a robust woody stump

The leaves are inserted directly on this stump or on sturdy, rarely branched flower stems, ending in a single, enormous flower (sometimes, the stem branches and gives 2-3 flowers)

The fragrant flower blooms in May and is very attractive to foraging insects

It is spectacularly beautiful, with 7-8 large bright pink to magenta petals enclosing a large number of big golden yellow stamens

Paeonia officinalis is, like all Peonies, a very beautiful ornamental plant

The Officinal Peony has a long medicinal history since it is already mentioned by ancient Greek and Roman authors

Medicinal properties of its Root: Anti-convulsant, Anti-epileptic, Anti-rheumatism, Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Sedative, Tonic

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Cultivation

The Officinal Peony thrives in deep, well-drained, cool, slightly calcareous soil in a sunny position

If the soil is too wet, its stump will rot

If it is too dry, the plant will die

In good conditions, Paeonia officinalis can live for decades

Sow the seeds that you will receive in autumn or winter, in the ground in their final location, or in spring after having refrigerated them for several weeks

Bury the seeds 2cm deep

Protect the seedlings and mark their location so as not to disturb their roots - the stump does not like to be disturbed

Once established, this robust and easy-to-grow plant requires little maintenance, apart from the usual winter pruning of dead foliage

First flowering 3 years after sowing

Each year, flowers show more abundantly because the plant expands and strengthens with age