12 Surprising Facts All Peony Enthusiasts Should Know

In addition to their fresh, fragrant scent, peonies also have huge blooms that can open up to 10 inches wide. Just make sure you clip the buds early in the morning before they open into blooms.

Peonies are often regarded as the symbol of good fortune and a happy marriage. So, fill up your bouquets and flower arrangements, stat.

These blooms hail from China and Europe, where they were often used to treat various ailments—from headaches to things like asthma and childbirth pain.

In China, the petals are parboiled and sweetened for use as a tea-time delicacy, in summer salads, or as garnish for delicious punches and lemonades.

Peonies can and do flourish in areas with long, cold winters, but this fact does not mean that they can only grow in Northern states where winters tend to be longer and colder than in the South. While peonies perform best in the Upper and Middle Southern states, some peonies are able to tolerate milder, shorter winters. The blooms have been spotted as far south as Jackson, Mississippi and Montgomery, Alabama.

There are a few different types of peonies. However, only one of these types is best suited for the lower Southern climate. Herbaceous peonies die to the ground each winter and grow brand-new stalks in the spring. These herbaceous varieties of peonies require more than 400 hours of near-freezing temperatures, which are hard to come by in places where the winters tend to be more mild. Tree peonies, on the other hand—identifiable by their sturdy trunks—only need between 100 and 300 hours of chill time each year. This makes tree peonies more suitable for and most likely to thrive in the deep South.

While herbaceous peonies require fall planting, tree peonies may be planted in the fall or the spring. We recommend that you refer to the Southern Living Plant Encyclopedia for complete information on growing peonies.

But don't worry. This is more of a blessing than a curse because ants actually play an important role in helping the peonies bloom. The insects happen to be attracted to the sweet nectar found inside peony buds; when they climb inside the buds, they help them open. Plus, ants help keep other (damaging) insects away.

When properly cared for and kept in optimal conditions, a peony plant can live a long life. It can even stay around to be over 100 years old.

Just like Rome wasn't built in a day, these beautiful flowers take a few years before they bloom. Herbaceous peonies don't usually bloom the first year they're planted. Unfortunately, tree peonies take two or three years longer to flower. So, just be patient.

It's easy to get carried away with these gorgeous blooms, but when you cut them, make sure that you leave at least three buds behind on every stem that you cut. Don't remove more than half of the blooms from any clump, as this will critically damage food reserves.

Except for blue (sorry, Tarheels fans).