A peony is a medium-sized garden plant which has large round flowers, usually pink, red, or white. peonies a garden plant with large round flowers that are dark red, white, or pink. Any of about 33 species of flowering plants in the genus Paeonia, sole genus of the family Paenoiaceae, found in Europe, Asia, and western North America and known for their large, showy blossoms. Herbaceous peonies are perennials that grow to about 3 ft (1 m). Their annual stems bear large, glossy, much-divided leaves and produce large single and double flowers of white, pink, rose, and deep crimson. Tree peonies are shrubs about 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) high with permanent rootstocks and woody stems that bear flowers varying in colour from white to lilac, violet, and red
(The) So called, according to fable, from Paeon, the physician who cured the wounds received by the gods in the Trojan war The seeds were, at one time, worn round the neck as a charm against the powers of darkness Virgil and Ovid speak of its sanative virtues Others tell us Paeon was a chieftain who discovered the plant Vetustissima inventu paeonia est, nomenque auctoris retinet, quam quidam pentorobon appellant, alii glycysiden - Pliny, xxv 10 People The people's friend Dr William Gordon, the philanthropist (1801-1849 )