The peony or paeony is a flowering plant in the genus
Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. Peonies are native
to Asia, Europe and Western North America. Scientists differ on the
number of species that can be distinguished, ranging from 25 to 40,
although the current consensus is 33 known species.
The relationships between the species need to be further
clarified.
Most are herbaceous perennial plants 0.25–1 metre (1–3 ft) tall, but
some are woody shrubs 0.25–3.5 metres (1–11 ft) tall. They have
compound, deeply lobed leaves and large, often fragrant flowers, in
colors ranging from purple and pink to red, white or yellow, in late
spring and early summer. The flowers have a short blooming season,
usually only 7–10 days.