Five little-known facts about peony

(Copyrighted image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

1. Peony is not the national flower of our country, as the national flower has not yet been selected.

2. Peony first appeared as a vassal of peony. There are many records about peony in the Book of Songs written in the Spring and Autumn Period. During the Three Kingdoms, Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, peony began to bloom in large numbers in gardens. By the Tang Dynasty, there were many varieties of peony. However, people invited peonies to enter gardens on a large scale only after the Tang Dynasty.

3. Wild peonies were originally used as firewood. Since the dead branches of peonies have a relatively low water content, they make good firewood [Erha], which is more wasteful than a cow chewing a peony.

4. Peony can be used to extract oil, and peony seed oil is a new woody oil that is yet to be developed. The unsaturated fatty acid content is as high as 73%, and linolenic acid, which is good for blood vessels, accounts for more than 50% (soybean oil contains 6.7% and sunflower oil contains 4.5%).

5. Peonies and Chinese peonies can also be hybridized. In 1948, Japanese breeder Ito hybridized the "Hua Xiang Dian" peony with the "Jin Ge" peony. American horticulturist Louis Smirnow introduced these plants to the United States, and eventually developed them into famous peony-peony hybrids - Golden Paradise, Golden Crown and Golden Dream, etc. These varieties are pure yellow and beautiful.

Source: Vegetative Shi Jun