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What is it?

The roots of Paeonies, which with their hundreds of beautiful varieties are of course very familiar to a many people who love to grow flowers or simply admire them. Paeonies grow to about a meter, have large leaves up to 20cm long and usually produce abundant numbers of, large, many-petalled flowers.

How has it been used?

Paeonies come from the far East so not surprisingly they figure strongly in the cultures of Chinese, Tibetan and Siberian folk medicine. Uses recorded for Paeony from these systems include cleansing the blood, relaxing tense muscles and cramps, regulating women’s hormonal based problems, helping treat fevers, as an antiseptic wash for wounds and for the ‘falling sickness’ (epilepsy).

Paeony has been regarded as a general tonic at least as much as a remedy for sickness; an old Chinese saying goes that ‘a woman who takes Paeony root daily will become as beautiful as the Paeony flower itself’

European traditional herbal medicine embraced Paeony with enthusiasm, particularly the old English herbal culture. Here it was rated as a treatment for epilepsy and also for spasms and cramps caused by gall-stones or kidney stones.

Modern herbal medicine has focused on Paeony as a hormonally active ‘women’s herb’. It has been seen to be helpful for polycystic ovarian syndrome and a medicine that helps balance the menstrual cycle in general.

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Personal experiences

Paeony is a vibrantly active herb that makes a difference to anyone who uses it for a time. It is a true root medicine, providing a nourishing support that only gets deeper over time.

Paeony combines perfectly with Licorice root for hormonal imbalances, with Dong Quai for weak blood and with Ginseng and Withania for anaemia and fatigue.

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Paeony's name in folklore.

Paeony has been used for many centuries as a pain-relieving, cleansing and cooling herb. Paeony's family name Paeonia, is named after the mythical Greek god of healing, Paeos, who used Paeony Root to heal Pluto of his wounds from the great Trojan War. Paeos himself is said to have received the plant on Mount Olympus from the mother of the god Apollo. The Paeony plant was consequently dedicated to the moon and thought to only be any good if it was harvested at night (poor sleepless herbalists).

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