LUOYANG, CHINA – The peony, one of the world’s most enduring cultivated ornamental plants, has flowered across two thousand years of history, evolving from a wild Chinese medicinal herb to a global symbol of wealth, refinement, and horticultural innovation. This remarkable journey, which began in ancient East Asia, reflects centuries of aesthetic shifts, cross-continental botanical exchange, and intensive hybridization efforts undertaken by imperial courts, monastic orders, and modern scientists worldwide.

The plant’s domestication started in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), where native tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa) were initially prized exclusively for their medicinal properties. However, during the subsequent Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), the focus shifted dramatically, transforming the peony into a coveted luxury bloom.

China Established Peony as ‘King of Flowers’

Under the Tang emperors, the capital city of Luoyang became the epicenter of an elaborate horticultural industry. Wealthy aristocracy utilized the spectacular, large blossoms to symbolize status and prosperity. This period solidified the peony’s status as the “king of flowers,” immortalized in court paintings and poetry, often associated with figures like the imperial concubine Yang Guifei, cementing its tie to feminine beauty.

By the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), Chinese cultivation reached new heights of sophistication. Detailed treatises, such as those written by the scholar Ouyang Xiu, documented specific growing techniques and classified hundreds of distinct varieties, showcasing advanced knowledge of selective breeding centuries before its widespread practice in the West.

Western Peonies Served Monastic Medicine

Meanwhile, the herbaceous relatives of the Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora and similar species) followed a parallel, though less ornamental, path in Europe. Known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, these plants were primarily valued for the therapeutic uses documented by early naturalists like Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides, who named the genus after Paeon, the mythical physician to the Greek gods. Throughout the medieval era, European monasteries maintained these red-flowered species almost solely for their inclusion in “physic gardens.”

The 18th and 19th centuries marked a revolutionary Age of Botanical Exchange, fundamentally altering the global peony landscape. European plant hunters introduced large-flowered Chinese tree peonies to Western gardens, opening new aesthetic possibilities. Simultaneously, superior Chinese herbaceous varieties reached Europe, offering larger blooms and a broader color palette than their native European cousins.

This influx of genetic material spurred intensive French hybridization efforts in the mid-19th century. Innovators like Victor Lemoine crossed Asian and European plants, creating vigorous, hardy hybrid peonies that quickly became cornerstones of Western horticulture.

American Innovation and Modern Hybrids

Across the globe, Japan developed a distinct cultural tradition around the peony after its introduction around the 8th century, favoring semi-double and single blooms that emphasized the natural structure over the elaborate doubles preferred by the Chinese court.

In North America, cultivation exploded in the early 20th century. American breeders, particularly in the Midwest, made crucial contributions. Professor A.P. Saunders pioneered interspecific hybridization during the 1930s and 1950s, successfully crossing different species to generate entirely new colors, including vibrant orange and coral tones previously unseen in garden peonies.

Modern breakthroughs, exemplified by the development of intersectional (Itoh) peonies in the late 20th century, combine the intense colors and flower forms of tree peonies with the reliable, easy growth habit of the herbaceous types.

Today, research continues to advance cultivation, often utilizing techniques like chromosome manipulation and embryo rescue to extend the species’ genetic possibilities. Luoyang, China, has embraced its historic legacy, now hosting a massive annual peony festival, cementing the flower’s enduring status as a symbol of cultural persistence and horticultural excellence spanning over two millennia. Gardeners planting these hardy perennials today are participating in a tradition linking modern yards to ancient imperial courts.

香港花店