The distinctive “language of flowers” in Japanese is called hanakotoba. In essence, each flower has a unique meaning, frequently based on its physical characteristics and/or notable appearances in ancient literature and art. As a result, each floral emblem can be used to represent a certain feeling or mood. We frequently “speak it with flowers” instead of using words to communicate.
Some well-known instances of floral symbolism in Japanese culture are as follows:
Cherry blossom
This is the most well-known flower in Japan as a symbol; in fact, there is a festival to mark the beginning of spring with this bloom (Hanami). Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that emphasizes acceptance of change and imperfection as well as gentleness and kindness. Cherry blossoms are a symbol of wabi-sabi.
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums are the official flower of Japan’s Emperor and the Imperial family, and they may be found on the country’s passports, 50-yen coins, and the Imperial Seal. It is also thought to stand for rebirth and longevity.
Peony
The peony, a Japanese flower also known as the “King of Flowers,” is seen as a sign of fortune, valor, and honor. It is frequently incorporated into tattoos to represent a care-free attitude.
Lotus
Nothing, so the saying goes, is more enticing and spiritual than a lotus blossom. It is a Buddhist emblem that in Japanese culture stands for purity of the body, speech, and mind.
Do peony come from Japan?
I was motivated to send these images after seeing the previous posts about peonies.
I visited the Kennin-ji temple in Kyoto, Japan, toward the end of April. The first Zen temple in Kyoto was called Kennin-ji. One of the temple buildings was encircled on all four sides by the most incredible peonies that were in full bloom. The temple also features a lovely dry Zen garden, which is an added plus. Although it is not one of Kyoto’s most well-known temples, it was close by and well worth a visit because of the peony.
In full bloom peonies. These are tree peony, which bloom earlier than their herbaceous counterparts and have woody stems that develop into little shrubs. Tree peonies often do a better job of supporting themselves than herbaceous peonies do, but the enormous blossoms can sag under their own weight. Stakes that are green and mix in with the vegetation have been used to carefully support these.
Japanese and Chinese names for tree peonies are botan and mudan, respectively (written in both languages). Since at least 500 BC, tree peonies have been grown in China. Buddhist monks brought tree peonies to Japan in the ninth century. Their cultivation, reproduction, and breeding moved to Kyoto.
The walls of the Zen Buddhist temple were surrounded with tree peonies. Because impermanence—the idea that nothing lasts forever and that we should therefore live in and appreciate each moment—is one of Buddhism’s central teachings, peonies are an especially suitable plant for a Zen temple. Peonies are excellent examples of this because we must cherish the fleeting period while they are in bloom since their breathtakingly beautiful flowers break and fade all too quickly.
Detail of a pretty peony with stripes in front of the understated elegance of the Zen temple in the background.
a temple’s tsukubai, or ritual hand-washing basin. Before entering the temple, visitors washed their hands to symbolize cleansing oneself for the experience.
Chinese or Japanese peonies?
Chinese tree peonies are a specialty of ours at Cricket Hill Garden. Because overall we think Chinese tree peonies are more varied in form, color, and fragrance than their Japanese cousins, we prefer them. The open flower patterns, upright growth habit, and vivid colors that distinguish Japanese tree peony, however, are something that every gardener with an interest in tree peonies cannot not but enjoy.
No native tree peony species exist in Japan. According to historians, the tree peonies, or botan in Japanese, first appeared in Japan in the eighth century CE. It is generally agreed by historians that Buddhist monks—whether Chinese or Japanese—were in charge of delivering tree peonies to Japan. In this setting, tree peonies were viewed as significant medicinal plants rather than beautiful garden plants. The massive transfer of goods and concepts from China to Japan included tree peonies.
Some sources attribute the first introduction of tree peony to Japan to the great Buddhist scholar and monk Kb-Daishi.
Tree peony were cultivated as attractive plants in temple and court gardens throughout the following few hundred years, but it wasn’t until the Edo era (1603 to 1868) that their cultivation spread widely. The introduction of grafting as the primary method of multiplication during this time is primarily to blame for the rapid expansion of tree peony farming. The cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as the western coastal prefectures of Niigata and Shimane, became the primary centers of cultivation and dissemination.
Hyakken’s peonies
Utagawa Shigenobu’s 1866 woodblock print shows tree peonies in a well-known public garden in Tokyo.
Similar to China, tree peonies have deep cultural value in Japan. Tree peonies are a symbol of good fortune and a righteous and noble attitude in Japanese poetry and visual art.
Japanese tree peonies first appeared in western European botanical gardens in the middle of the 19th century. By the 1890s, a number of sizable nurseries with headquarters in Japan were shipping a significant amount of tree peony to both Europe and the US.
The Yokohama Nursery was renowned for its extensive collection of lilies, irises, and tree peonies. From the early 1900s to the eve of World War 2, this nursery sent goods to the United States.
A detail from a 1920s Yokohama Nursery catalog with gorgeous printing. The varieties displayed are, in order, “Peak of Mt. Fuji, also known as Fuji-no-mime, and Kasane Lion, also known as Kasane-jishi.
A side note: For those who think tree peonies are pricey, take into account that a rare book trader will charge you $5,500 for a vintage Yokohama nursery brochure. By comparison, the real Japanese tree peony on our website, which start at $89, are inexpensive!
There has been a lot of misunderstanding about the proper identification of Japanese tree peony among nursery experts and collectors since they were first brought to the United States more than a century ago. Grower John C. Wister expressed his anger in his 1962 book, The Peonies:
“Our difficulties [in correctly classifying Japanese tree peony cultivars] have been caused by some Japanese nurseryman’s negligence or dishonesty. From 1910 to 1925, the main exporters would provide a collection of fifty types under fifty different labels, and all but two or three plants would turn out to be identical. The very same company would provide fifty plants of a unique white kind, and the blooms would open in shades of pink, crimson, and purple.
Since then, unfortunately, little has changed; imported Japanese tree peony continue to frequently have incorrect labels. Whether they lived up to their reputation or not, Japanese tree peonies played a significant role in the hybridization of tree peonies by breeders like Prof. Arthur Saunders and Nassos Daphnis. To develop the stunning yellow and apricot tree peonies like High Noon and Marchioness, these brilliant hybridizers mixed Japanese tree peonies with the species tree peony P. lutea.
Some Japanese tree peony varieties created in the 19th century are still available today. The problem of mislabeling has been less serious as more Japanese tree peony are propagated in the US. We at Cricket Hill Garden promise that every Japanese tree peony we sell is authentic. Here are some of our favorite cultivars of Japanese tree peonies.
called “Black Dragon Brocade” A very dark and highly valued cultivar is kokuryu nisjiki.
The “Seven Gods of Fortune” One of our most colorful dark pink Japanese tree peonies is Shin Shichifukujin.
Perhaps the brightest red tree peony in our entire collection is ‘The Sun’ Taiyo.
Japanese tree peonies frequently exhibit a number of morphological characteristics in both their flower appearance and their development habits. This homogeneity is likely a product of both the Japanese tree peonies’ relatively small genetic ancestry and the producers’ aesthetic choices. Japanese tree peonies commonly have huge blooms, 8–12 in diameter, upward-facing, open semi-double flower shapes, and intensely vivid colors, yet they are frequently less fragrant than Chinese tree peonies. When mature, most shrubs are 4 tall and wide. Compared to its Chinese counterparts, Japanese tree peonies are more erect and less bushy. Many of the highly divided leaves have a bluish green hue.
This plant serves as a good example of how Japanese tree peony tend to grow straight rather than bushy.
The majority of Japanese tree peony are semi-double, however there are some significant outliers to this rule. A few types are considered fine doubles, while a large group of semi-double blossoms are referred to as jishi or lion shape. There blooms are believed to resemble a lion’s mane, which is disheveled and tangled.
Queen of Flowers
Rare Japanese tree peony called Kao blooms completely twice.
Another double form Japanese tree peony is Fusotsukasa, which means “Monitor of the Palace at Sunrise.”
Black Jade Lion
A variety called Hakuojishi is reported to blossom in the shape of a lion’s main.
According to our observations, the bulk of Japanese tree peonies bloom in the middle of the season, following our Chinese tree peonies but blooming before the lutea hybrids. Around June 1st, the Japanese tree peonies at Cricket Hill Garden often reach their peak bloom.
The Kan Botan, often known as “Winter Blooming” tree peonies, are an intriguing subgroup of Japanese tree peonies. Depending on the variety, this type of tree peony blooms in the spring and then reblooms from November to January. The plant only produces a few leaves and much tiny flowers in the winter. It is thought that these unusual varieties date back to the 1700s.
In Japan, straw mats are used to preserve tree peonies that bloom in the winter. At this picture, a tree peony in a park in Tokyo is flowering in December.
It appears that Winter Blooming Tree Peonies were created to thrive in particular temperatures in Japan. We are unaware of any American growers who have been successful in cultivating Kan Botan.
Toichi Itoh, a Japanese plant hybridizer, was the first to successfully cross a tree peony with a herbaceous peony in the 20th century, giving rise to a third kind of peony known as an intersectional peony.
One last thing about herbaceous peonies. Additionally, only few herbaceous peonies are indigenous to Japan.
Herbaceous peonies are not valued as highly as tree peonies in Japan as they are in China.
Because the first herbaceous peonies to flower in the anemone form were initially imported from Japan, anemone form herbaceous peonies are frequently referred to as “Japanese” form in America.
The cultural significance of tree peony in Japan and how they are portrayed in Japanese visual art will be covered in a future blog post.
Japanese cherry blossom
The sakura, or Japanese cherry blossom, is the country of Japan’s national flower and it stands for renewal and hope. The beauty of the blossoms also represents the transience of life because cherry trees only bloom for a brief time in the spring.
Japanese chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum (kiku), a representation of the imperial family, can be seen on the 50-yen coin, the Japanese passport, and the Imperial Seal of Japan. The flower also stands for enduring beauty. Chrysanthemums come about 350 different varieties in Japan.
Japanese camellia
A noble death was originally represented by the brilliant red camellia (tsubaki) among Japanese warriors and samurai. It also stands for love. While a yellow camellia connotes longing, a white camellia signifies waiting.
Japanese lily
With the lily, color is crucial for conveying meaning as well (yuri). For instance, orange lilies signify retaliation or hatred, while crimson spider lilies (manjushage) signify a tearful farewell. White lilies denote purity.
Japanese lotus
The lotus blossom (hasu) emerges from murky water where it has been growing before. During the summer, you can frequently find the lovely, fragrant bloom in ponds close to temples and shrines in Japan. It is a sign of enlightenment and purity.
Japanese hydrangea
The hydrangea (ajisai), which comes in a variety of hues and has striking blossoms, represents deep feeling such as thanksgiving or remorse. Hydrangea festivals are usually held in Japan during June and July.
Japanese peonies, what are they?
What is a peony in the Japanese style? A brief explanation is that they feature an exterior row of guard petals and a core that is “tufted,” frequently in a contrasting hue. For comparison, they are frequently referred to as anemone-style peonies. Many can withstand wind and rain well, and their scents can be amazing.
The following details are provided by the Heartland Peony Society regarding peonies described as Japanese style: “Japanese Peonies are the next to double over the standard single form.” They include cultivars in which the pollen-bearing stamens have largely changed into staminodes or slender petaloids, retaining some of the anther’s golden color. Although usually not pollen carrying, the partially converted stamens may contain a small amount of pollen. Because the Japanese have long adored this form of peony, the label “Japanese” has come to be used to describe the class, despite the fact that the varieties of this class are not necessarily of Japanese origin.
Where were peonies first grown?
Numerous stories exist that explain how the peony earned its name. The name is said to have its roots in the Greek word paeon.
In Greek mythology, Paeon was the gods’ healer who infuriated his mentor Asclepius after giving Pluto a cure by drawing milky liquid from a peony’s root. The god of medicine and healing was Asclepius. He expressed jealousy that Paeon was outwitting his teacher and vowed to kill Paeon. Zeus delivered him by transforming him into the lovely peony blossom.
Another legend attributes the name Peony to Paeonia, an attractive nymph who caught Apollo’s eye. Aphrodite changed her into a peony out of spite. It is most likely because of this tradition that the flower came to symbolize bad luck in Victorian times.
Peonies are thought to have originated in Chinese gardens around 1000 BC, and by the seventh century, they had spread to Japan, which is one of the world’s top peony producers. Peonies were mostly employed in the East for therapeutic purposes. It was common practice to treat headaches, asthma, and labor pain with the roots and seeds of the peony.
Explorers initially introduced tree peony to Europe in the early 1800s after they were found. They are exceedingly well-liked now as cut flowers and beautiful garden plants.