Daurons and Mongols were reputed to boil the roots of this paeony in a soup and to introduce the ground seeds into their tea. The plant is also used medicinally in some parts of China. Paeony leaves are large, dissected mid to dark green but sometimes silver-bluish or grey green. Occasionally these are softly hairy, especially on the veins beneath. Flower stems are usually erect and the flowers are solitary or sometimes borne several to a stem.
Flowers can be saucer, cup or bowl-shaped and sometimes spherical when they first open.
Those with double flowers have either no stamens or a few hidden among the many petals. Paeonia anomala Paeonia anomala Paeonia veitchii Paeonies have attracted the attention of botanists, professionals and amateurs alike. As a result many cultivars are available. In fact it is difficult at times to find species paeonies for sale. By the Middle Ages paeony seeds were common foodstuffs among the poor.