The State Flower of Indiana – the Peony

The Peony or Paeonia is a beautiful, long-lasting flower and also the state flower of Indiana.

This flower is native to Europe but was brought over to America by the colonists. The peony and the lilac bush were their most prized plants. Today there are many hybrids of the common peony. Originally the peony did not have a very pleasant smell and if the weather was slightly bad, it would fall apart.

The peony is an outstanding flower in terms of perennials and there are several reasons for this. Usually these plants will grow for 50 years or more, sometimes lasting longer than the garden they were planted in. It has large blossoms and the stem of the flower is strong. The modern peony has a lovely fragrance and sometimes so many flowers grow on the plant that a stake is needed to give support.

The one set-back of the peony is that it can get a disease called botrytis blight. The remedy is simple – the foliage needs to be cut right down to ground level after the first frost and thrown out.

The peony likes fertile well drained soil, and lots of sun.

[Via: Indystar.com]

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