Peony

Peonies have been popular in the West since they were brought from China to Europe in the 18th century. There around 30 naturally occurring varieties, each with its own color, shape, and number of petals. A symbol of wealth and prosperity for the Tang Dynasty and cited as an inspiration to countless poets and painters—the feathery blossoms were a favorite still-life subject of both the artists Manet and Monet—peonies have been cultivated for more than just their beauty. Named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing, the peony was for thousands, considered an important medicinal plant, prescribed to treat epilepsy and seizures, among other ailments.