Paeonia lactiflora, commonly known as Chinese Peony, is a deciduous perennial herb native to meadows and grassy slopes in East Asia, including China, eastern Siberia, and the Russian Far East. It typically grows to a height and width of 50–70 cm (20–28 in). Chinese Peony is renowned for its large, fragrant flowers that bloom in late spring (May in the Northern Hemisphere). The flowers are cup- or bowl-shaped, 8–16 cm (3–6 in) in diameter, with 5–10 petals that can be white, pink, or crimson, and are complemented by a center of yellow stamens. The plant is a butterfly attractor and is highly valued for its ornamental qualities.

The Chinese Peony is celebrated for its showy blooms and is a popular choice for garden borders, cut flower gardens, and as a specimen plant. It offers a wide range of cultivars with colors from pure milk white to pink, rose, and near red, and forms from single to fully double flowers. The plant thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers well-drained soil, though it can tolerate various drainage speeds. While it requires medium amounts of water, it is relatively low maintenance once established. Chinese Peony can suffer from fungal diseases such as botrytis blight and is susceptible to peony wilt, but these issues can be managed with proper care and site selection.CC BY-SA 4.0