Peony is an ancient, traditional Chinese herbal medicine.² The plant was and is extensively cultivated as an ornamental plant as well. Peony is named for the mythical Greek figure Paeon, who was said to be a student of Aesculapius, the great physician.³ Paeon used the peony plant (various species also grow in Europe) to heal a wound for the god Pluto. This earned Aesculapius’s jealous wrath, but Pluto saved Paeon from death by turning him into a peony plant.

Bai shao or white peony was considered useful for hypertension, chest pain, muscle cramping and spasms, and fever.⁴ It was an important remedy for female reproductive conditions ranging from dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) to irregular menses.⁵ Chi shao or red peony was used for bleeding or lack of blood movement, depending on how it was prepared.⁶ Moutan was also considered helpful for problems characterized by bleeding, such as nosebleeds, bleeding wounds, or menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding).⁷