What is the State Flower of Indiana?
Peony is the state flower of Indiana. It was chosen as the official state flower of Indiana in 1957. Zinnia was the previous state flower before Peony and it was the state flower for 30 years. Peony is also known as Paeonia. No specific color or variety of peony was selected by the Indiana General Assembly. Peony is a very beautiful, flashy and sweet-fragrant flower.Peonies can be traced back to China in early 1000 BC. During the rule of T’ang dynasty (618-906) the peonies became very famous in the royal gardens and they were put under the protection of the throne.
The best varieties of peonies demanded huge prices and these flowers were frequently part of a dowry disbursement. At the beginning of the 8th century when peonies finally reached Japan, horticulturists of Japan started to do experiment on them. The Japanese simplified the peony and produced less-complicated peony heads.Indiana’s state flower, the peony is widely grown all over the state and is a prevalent decoration at cemeteries for Memorial Day.
State Flower of Indiana Facts:
- Common Name: Peony,Paeonia
- Genus: Paeonia
- Species: Paeoniaceae
- Found in: China, Japan
- Color: red, pink, yellow, and white
- Type of Plant: Bush
- Number of petals: 5
- Period of blooming: late spring and early summer
- Purpose: ornamental plants
- Symbolism: Luck, Peace, Wealth
The bush of Peonyranges about eighteen inches tall. Some plants grow several feet high. Peonies are comparatively easy to treat, and their triumphdepends on the plant’s ability to endure seasonal temperatures and cold winters. To state the truth, the Peony is a strong plant that will dependably bloom for 50 years as long as it is undisturbed. Peonies flourish in Indiana’s climate. In Indiana flowers are produced from Fort Wayne to the capital city of Indianapolis.
Beautiful, plump blooms open up in May in a pleasantvariety of colors stretching from scarlet red and orange to lavender, magenta, gold and white. Besides its beautiful color, the Indiana state flower, peony gives off a strong, sweet, pleasant fragrance, particularly when it is grown in abundance. When the lawmakers of the state selected the Peony as the Indiana state flower, they failed to select any specific color, which enabled them to call different Peonies their own. Herbaceous Peony is one of the most common variant.
It has single, double, and anemone forms. The single Peony plants yield slender flowers with 5 petals, while the double Peonies are much more extensive and round. Anemone types have wide leaves and pincushion-shaped blooms. The double form is a beloved cut flower. It traditionally appears in preparations that decorate gravesites and markers on Memorial Day.
Common problems of peonies and reasons they may fail to bloom: Planting too deeply, immature plants, excess nitrogen, Inadequate sunlight, Overcrowding, Phosphorus and/or potassium deficiency, Insect or disease problems, Competition from roots of nearby plants, Late freezes.Peony is the symbol of romance, elegance, honor, wealth and abundance in the language of flowers. The fruit of peony is dry follicle filled with seed. Ripe peony fruit splits to release seed.Peony is perpetual plant that can live up to 100 years when it is cultivated under ideal conditions.
Vase life of peony is only 5 days. It was used in the past in treatment of headache and asthma and to release pain related with childbirth. White peony’s root is the herbal remedy used in treatment of convulsions and hypercholesterolemia and to progress function of brain and liver. To sum up, Peony is both beautiful and it has many uses. It is the favorite flower of the people of Indiana. So, it naturally became the state flower of Indiana.
