Many people know peonies. Peonies are also traditional Chinese flowers and plants and are deeply loved by Chinese people. But there is a plant also called peony, but with the word "stinky" added in front of it. Stinky peony I don’t know how many people have seen or raised it. Some people may not like it just by hearing the name. Are stinky peonies really smelly?
Understanding the smelly peony
The smelly peony is Verbenaaceae, Daqing shrub, the plant is about 1 meter high, and some parts can reach 2 meters. The leaves are opposite, and each pair of leaves grows in a staggered manner, which can ensure the photosynthesis of and . It is also widely distributed in my country. It is cultivated in North China, Central China, East China, Southwest and other places. The flowering period is around the Dragon Boat Festival. The corymb-shaped cymes are terminal, with larger leaves and pink flowers, which are very beautiful.
1. Please don’t care whether its name sounds nice or not.
Peony can be said to be a very good plant. It has strong adaptability, likes sunshine and tolerates shade. It likes warmth and moisture and a sunny environment, and avoids direct sunlight. Tolerant to moisture, drought, and cold. It is not selective about the soil and can grow well in slightly saline-alkali soils. It can also live well in some locations where there is a lot of domestic waste.
A few days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Xiaoyuan went for a walk nearby and found that the smelly peonies growing on the north side of a very dilapidated building were blooming. The flowers are very big and beautiful, and the leaves are also big, green and pretty. Xiaoyuan was very close and didn't notice any smell. But its surrounding environment is very bad. There are a lot of buildings and domestic garbage next to it. However, because of its relatively large leaves, the smelly peony has covered up a lot of the undesirable surrounding environment. The height of the smelly peony seen in the small garden is estimated to be more than 60 centimeters. In that not-so-good environment, it is green and full of vitality.
2. Is the smelly peony really as smelly as the legend says?
The smelly peony plant has a smell, but it doesn’t just emit a smell when you stand next to the plant. In fact, its odor is just a "defensive" measure for self-protection. Its odor is mainly concentrated on the leaves. There is no odor when the leaves are picked, but as long as you rub them on your hands, there will be a smell. This is to prevent cattle or sheep or other animals from eating its leaves. It doesn't smell particularly good, but it's not as smelly as the legend says.
Xiaoyuan later thought carefully about where I had smelled this smell, until I rubbed the leaves of bitter melon and the smell was a bit similar to the smell of smelly peonies. But everyone may have different feelings about smell. To be honest, its leaves are not as smelly as the leaves of Houttuynia cordata , or the smell of heather . Xiaoyuan thinks so, but it doesn’t represent everyone else. If you don’t like it, don’t criticize it.
3. The value of smelly peony
First of all, it is very useful in gardens. It is a plant that can still grow vigorously under big trees and can regreen the land well. Because it is very shade tolerant and has large flowers. Many parks will consider using peonies for greening under big trees. You can also plant it in the garden, as long as you don’t rub its leaves, especially for people who are particularly sensitive to smells.
In terms of medicinal use, its stems, leaves and roots can be used as medicine. The stems and leaves can detoxify, remove swelling, remove rheumatism, and lower blood pressure. The roots can invigorate the spleen, dispel rheumatism and lower blood pressure. It still has many uses. (Original article, pictures taken by myself)
