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Paeonia emodi

Common name:		Family:	Paeoniaceae
Author:	Wall. ex Royle.	Botanical references:	51, 200, 266
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Himalayas from Pakistan to W. Nepal.
Habitat:	Forest and scrub, often gregarious, 1800 - 2500 metres[51, 187].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Mamekh [E], Udslap [E],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Dilleniales. Peony family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Hindu

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower in March. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Young shoots - cooked[105, 146].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antispasmodic Blood purifier Cathartic Cholagogue Emetic Uterine tonic.

The tubers are a useful medicine for the treatment of hysteria, convulsions, colic, uterine diseases and obstructions of the bile duct[61, 272]. They are given to children as a blood purifier[240].
The seeds are cathartic and emetic[240, 272].
An infusion of the dried flowers is useful in the treatment of diarrhoea[240].
A tea made from the dried crushed petals of various peony species has been used as a cough remedy, and as a treatment for haemorrhoids and varicose veins[250].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a deep rich soil, preferably neutral or slightly alkaline[1], doing quite well in sun or light shade[1, 200]. It is best grown amongst shrubs[200], doing better when given some shade[233]. Plants are tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, but will not survive if the soil becomes waterlogged or is too dry[250]. This species is lime tolerant[200]. Plants grown on sandy soils tend to produce more leaves and less flowers, whilst those growing on clay take longer to become established but produce better blooms[250].
Many gardeners have difficulties growing this plant in their gardens, though it thrives in the outdoor beds at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh[250]. Probably giving it the protection of shrubs or a woodland edge is likely to be most successful[250].
Plants are hardy to about -20° c[187].
A very ornamental[1] and long-lived plant, specimens can survive in the garden for at least 50 years[200].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233].
A very greedy plant inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[54].
Strongly resents root disturbance, taking some time to recover after being divided[1].
Peony species are usually self-fertile, though they will also hybridise with other species if these flower nearby at the same time[250].
Plants take 4 - 5 years to flower from seed[200]. They generally breed true from seed[1].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[250]. When sown fresh, the seed produces a root about 6 weeks after sowing with shoots formed in the spring[200]. Stored seed is much slower, it should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame but may take 18 months or more to germinate[200]. The roots are very sensitive to disturbance, so many growers allow the seedlings to remain in their pots for 2 growing seasons before potting them up. This allows a better root system to develop that is more resilient to disturbance[250]. If following this practice, make sure you sow the seed thinly, and give regular liquid feeds in the growing season to ensure the plants are well fed. We usually prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, and then grow them on in a cold frame for at least two growing seasons before planting them out when they are in growth in the spring[K].
Division with great care in spring or autumn. Each portion must have a leaf bud. If the lifted root is stood in shade for several hours it becomes less brittle and easier to divide[200]. Divisions that have several buds will usually flower in the second year, but those that only have one or two buds will take a number of years before they have grown sufficiently to flower[250].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Paeoniaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.

[54] Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977 ISBN 0-584-10141-4
Interesting reading.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[250] Page. M. The Gardener's Guide to Growing Peonies. David & Charles. Newton Abbot. 1997 ISBN 0 7153 0531 X
A nice little book on the genus, giving information on their cultivation and a little info on plant uses.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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