Peony, Tree (Moutan Peony, Mu-dan, Feng Dan Bai, White
Phoenix)
Paeonia suffriticosa
Family: Ranunculaceae
White Phoenix is the tree peony cultivar most popularly used for medicine,
producing multiple strong tuberous roots. The white flowers measure
up to 1 foot across, appearing in mid-spring, a display which is much anticipated
by the Chinese. The literal translation for Mu-dan is "rich flower,"
and the flower is a symbol of prosperity. Processed Tree Peony roots
have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years,
serving to nourish the blood and liver, reduce spasmodic and traumatic
pain, dispense heat and reduce swelling and infection. The
herb is contraindicated during pregnancy and is best used
under the direction of an accomplished health-care provider. The
roots are harvested in the fall, after they reach the age of 4 or 5 years.
The root bark is scraped off with a blunt knife and discarded. The
roots are then boiled until soft, sliced and dried in the sun. Stephen
Foster and Yue Chongxi's "Herbal Emissaries" provides an elegant and complete
description of the use of Peony in medicine.. Cultivation:
Sow in fall for germination in the spring. Grow seedlings out in
gallon pots for a year before transplanting to landscape. Transplant
in fall or very early spring. Regular garden soil amended with peat
moss or composted bark mulch. Prefers afternoon shade, especially
in very hot climates. Cold hardy. Prune back old wood in spring,
to just above the newly swelling buds. Plant 6 feet apart.
Grows from 3 to 6 feet tall.
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