Witnessed by: TCM · Unani
Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), of the Paeoniaceae family. Deciduous woody shrub with large showy flowers; native range: China; long cultivated and revered as the 'king of flowers'. Globally recognized as ud saleeb in Hindi, mu dan pi (牡丹皮) in Chinese, fawaniya in Arabic, and tree peony, moutan bark in English. The part used is root-bark (TCM); root and seed (Unani). Curls of pale root-bark with a cool, faintly sweet, almost phenolic aroma from paeonol, the taste bitter and acrid; the root pinkish within.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
TREE PEONY
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Tree peony
- Scientific name
- Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews
- Family
- Paeoniaceae
Form
- Part used
- root-bark (TCM); root and seed (Unani)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter · pungent
- Unani
- bitter, faintly acrid
Temperature
- TCM
- cool
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Heart · Liver · Kidney
- Unani
- brain · nerves · uterus
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- clears heat and cools the blood, invigorates blood and dispels stasis, drains ascendant Liver fire, and clears deficiency heat without stasis
- Unani
- muqawwi-e-dimagh (nervine tonic), musakkin (sedative-antispasmodic), daf-e-tashannuj (anticonvulsant), mudirr-e-haiz (emmenagogue)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- profuse menstruation and pregnancy; Spleen-Stomach cold with diarrhoea in TCM
- Toxicity
- generally safe; large doses may cause gastric upset
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