Indiana State Flower
Peony (common name) Paeonia lactiflora (scientific name) Overview Adopted in 1957, the peony is Indiana’s fourth state flower. Though it’s not native to the state, it has managed to remain the official flower for over 50 years, unlike its predecessors the carnation, the tulip tree blossom, and the zinnia. Peonies are the only plants in the Paeoniaceae family. These perennial dicots grow in the wild but are popular bedding plants in many areas because of their symmetrical, showy flowers, which grow singly but are large. Single peonies have a few petals, usually five or 10, which fan out around a large cluster of yellow stamens. Semi-double peonies have more petals, but the central cluster of stamens is still visible. Double peonies, the ones most commonly seen in American gardens, are round and many-petaled red, pink, or creamy white balls and often have a sweet fragrance. The low bushes have green stems that grow two to three feet high from thick, irregular-shaped roots. Leaves are normally a matte dark green and split into three lobes. Each is further split into three additional lobes. In the wild, peonies prefer wooded mountainsides. Peonies flower in late spring to early summer. The flowers fade as weather gets hot, but the leaves remain until autumn. Stems do not die back, but most peony bushes are only two or three feet (.6-1 m) high. Most garden varieties of hybrid peonies do not grow from seeds. Some varieties, however, produce three- or five-lobed reddish seed pods that split open to reveal shiny, reddish-brown seeds. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Duration: Perennial Plant: Tree Mature Height: 2–3 ft (.6-1 m) Flowering: May–June Flowers: 2.5–4 in (6–10 cm) Flower Color: Red, pink, or white Leaves: 3–4 in (7.5–10 cm) long with three lobes on succulent stems Fruit/Seed Color: Reddish brown HABITAT Location: Rich, loose soil in full sun or partial shade. Range: Asia, southern Europe, and western North America. TRIVIA The plant’s name comes from Paeon, who, according to Greek mythology, studied with Asclepius, the god of healing and medicine, and cured the gods injured in the Trojan War. The plant’s roots are widely used in Chinese medicine to reduce pain and swelling from injuries, bruises, and boils. The roots are sedatives as well as painkillers, and so were also traditionally useful for treating headaches, stomach pain, and bladder infections. In Europe, the peony was historically used to treat epilepsy and convulsions.
	Click to enlarge an image Peony Peony Buds Ready to Bloom Close-up of Peony Flower CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Dilleniales Family: Paeoniaceae Genus: Paeonia Species: P. lactiflora
	Author: World Trade Press