A Roundup of 10 Rare Varieties of the Peony, China's National Flower

The peony is one of China's top ten famous flowers and is also the national flower of China. Peonies are brightly colored, with a jade-like charm and pearl-like fragrance, elegant and graceful, magnificent and splendid, and have long enjoyed the reputation of "king of flowers." There are many varieties of peonies; below we mainly introduce the 10 rarest varieties!

1. Yao Huang

The precious peony variety "Yao Huang" originated from the home of Yao Chong at Baisma Slope at the foot of Mangshan in Luoyang during the Song Dynasty. The flower opens goose-yellow and turns golden-yellow when fully bloomed. The flowers bloom above the leaves, open uniformly, have a full flower shape, are dazzling and radiant, and carry a delicate fragrance; it is known as the "king of flowers."

2. Wei Zi

The precious peony variety "Wei Zi" originated from the home of Wei Renbo in Luoyang during the Five Dynasties period. The flower is purplish-red, lotus-shaped or crown-shaped. It has a long flowering period and a large number of flowers, and the blooms are full; it is hailed as the "queen of flowers."

3. Zhao Fen

The precious peony variety "Zhao Fen" originated from the Zhao family garden in Heze during the Qing Dynasty. It is named for its pink flowers and was formerly called "Tongzi Mian." It has diverse flower forms, strong plant growth vigor, and a large number of flowers; it is a multi-flowered variety with a pleasant delicate fragrance.

4. Er Qiao

The precious peony variety "Er Qiao" originated from Yinli Garden during the Yuanfeng period of the Song Dynasty. It was originally called "Luoyang Jin" and was renamed Er Qiao after being moved to Caozhou (present-day Heze). The same plant and the same branch can bear both purplish-red and pinkish-white flowers, or a single flower can display both purplish-red and pinkish-white colors at once, which is quite peculiar.

5. Luoyang Hong

The precious peony variety "Luoyang Hong," also known as "Zi Er Qiao" and "Putong Hong." The flower is a brilliant purplish-red, and it is a prolific variety; a single plant can bear a hundred flowers, draped all over like jeweled garlands. With abundant flowers and lush leaves, it has been given the laudatory title of "new queen of flowers."

6. Yuyi Huang

The precious peony variety "Yuyi Huang," also known as "Yupao Huang." As the name suggests, its flower is the yellow of an imperial robe, noble and elegant. The flower opens pale yellow and turns yellow-white when fully bloomed.

7. Jiuzui Yangfei

The precious peony variety "Jiuzui Yangfei" bears pink-purple flowers, with the top turning pink when fully bloomed. Because the plant's branches are soft and the flower heads droop, with a delicate drunken appearance, it is named "Jiuzui Yangfei" (Drunken Yang Guifei).

8. Qinglong Wo Mochi

The precious peony variety "Qinglong Wo Mochi" has flowers of a slightly lighter ink-purple, with normal stamens and pistils between the petals transformed into green colorful petals; the pistil is green at the flower's center, surrounded by multiple layers of ink-purple petals, resembling a green dragon coiled in the center of an ink pool, hence the name Qinglong Wo Mochi (Green Dragon Lying in the Ink Pool).

9. Baixue Ta

The precious peony variety "Baixue Ta" originated in Luoyang. The flower is white and crown-shaped. It has large outer petals, while the inner petals are fine and crinkled, layered and rising high into a spherical shape, with a purple blush at the base of the petals. The flower diameter is 16 cm and the flower height is 8 cm. The flower opens greenish-white and when fully bloomed is lustrous white like snow and jade.

10. Dou Lu

The precious peony variety "Dou Lu" has yellow-green flowers, thin and soft flower stalks, and drooping blooms; it is a late-flowering variety. It has medium growth vigor, a high rate of flower formation, and many sprouting branches. This flower is a rare and precious variety in the world.

The peony is the national flower of our country, with numerous varieties and delicate, charming flower colors that people adore. Among the peony varieties above, the most unique should be Dou Lu; its flowers bloom green, which is very peculiar, but probably not many people have seen this flower.

For wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about peony varieties, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Wang. You are welcome to read it.