Tree Peonies

Two out of the five tree peonies in my garden are blooming now. Photos don't do them justice.

And, for a little education, the following is a conglomeration of info found at various websites:

The Tree Peony (commonly referred to in China as Mudan or Moutan) is not really a tree, but a shrub flower. It is a larger and woody relative of the herbaceous peony that graces many flower gardens.

It is thought to have been first discovered in an eastern province of China in the sixth century and was used for medicinal purposes before being grown ornamentally exclusively by the emperor. At one time it was protected by imperial law. The roots of the tree peony are used to reduce fever and pain and to prevent infection in wounds.

Prized for their beauty, color and scent, peonies often appear in Chinese paintings, wood carvings and on silks, porcelain and lacquer objects and has been regarded as a symbol of wealth, fortune, luck, prosperity and happiness.