Paeonia suffruticosa

The Moutan or Chinese tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) is a species of peony native to China. Paeonia suffruticosa is the plant’s botanical name. More commonly, the plant is referred as the tree peony. It is known as Mudan (牡丹) in Chinese and is an important symbol in Chinese culture. It was first described and validly published by Henry Charles Andrews in 1804. The flower component is its most attracting feature of the plant. Paeonia suffruticosa’s flower is very large in comparison with most other flower species. The size of the flower usually ranges from 6-12 inches cross. It is the flower component that is used to classify the plant’s cultivar, using characteristics such as the flower form and color. The epidermis of its roots is used in traditional Chinese medicine, called "mudanpi" (牡丹皮).