In the French Revolutionary calendar, today was Pivoine (Day of the Peony Plant). Here are 10 facts about peonies:
Peonies are flowering plants in the genus Paeonia. Scientists have not been able to agree on exactly how many species of peony there are, although the current consensus is 33.
Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. There’s a particular association with China, especially ancient Chinese city of Luoyang, which is a centre for the cultivation of the flowers. While plum blossom is the official national flower of China, there have been attempts to bestow the honour on the peony. The peony has, however, been the state flower of Indiana since 1957.
The Chinese for peony is sho yu which means 'most beautiful'. However, their beauty isn’t the only reason peonies were popular in China. The roots and seeds of peonies often appear in paintings there, because these parts of the plant have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Headaches, asthma, convulsions, liver disease, bladder and Kidney problems are among the conditions treated with peonies.
The peony is named after Paeon (or Paean), a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. The story goes that Paeon used a peony to treat Zeus for a wound. Asclepius was jealous of his pupil’s success with Zeus and set out to kill him. Zeus saved Paeon by turning him into a peony flower.
The flowers have a short blooming season, usually only 7–10 days, but the plants can live for up to 100 years.
Ants love peony nectar, which forms on the outside of the petals, so the flowers will attract them. The ants do no harm to the plant and it’s thought they might deter other harmful insects.
Ancient Chinese texts mention the peony was used for flavouring food. They would make infusions from the petals. The petals may be added to salads or to punches and lemonades.
The red flowers of the species Paeonia peregrina are important in Serbian folklore. Known as Kosovo peonies, they are said to represent the blood of Serbian warriors who died in the Battle of Kosovo.
Peonies are the traditional flower for 12th wedding anniversaries. They are considered a good omen for a happy marriage, although in the language of flowers they represent shame or bashfulness, because nymphs were said to hide in the petals. In China and Japan, they stand for bravery, honour, respect, nobility, good fortune, and prosperity.
It's believed that if you have a peony plant in your garden and it's full of flowers this means you'll enjoy good luck. However, if the flowers are lacklustre, it’s a sign that bad luck is on its way. Another old superstition states that you should never pick peony fruit when a Woodpecker is watching, because the bird might peck out your eyes.
New!!!
The six richest people in Britain decide to hold a contest to settle the question of which of them is most successful. It will be a gladiator style contest with each entrant fielding a team of ten super-powered combatants. Entrepreneur Llew Powell sets out to put together his team, which includes his former lover, an employee of his company with a fascinating hobby, two refugees from another dimension (a lonely giant and a drunken sailor), two sisters bound together by a promise, a diminutive doctor, a former Tibetan monk initiate and two androids with a history. As the team train together, alliances form, friendships and more develop, while others find the past is not easy to leave behind.
Meanwhile, a ruthless race of aliens has its eyes on the Earth. Already abducting and enslaving humans, they work towards the final invasion which would destroy life on Earth as we know it. Powell’s group, Combat Team Alpha, stumble upon one of the wormholes the aliens use to travel to Earth and witness for themselves the horrors in store if the aliens aren’t stopped. Barely escaping with their lives, they realise there are more important things to worry about than a fighting competition.
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