White Flower Chinese Herb

Background

• White flower Chinese herbs come from the white peony flower. Peonies are part of the genus Paeonia, which is named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. The ancient flower, one of the oldest cultivated, is native to Asia, North America and parts of southern Europe.

Cultivation and Preparation

• The white flower Chinese herb is made from the root of the white peony flower. The root is peeled, dried and either chopped or powdered. The herb is usually prepared as a tea or in caplet form and is typically combined with other herbs.

Benefits

• According to Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine in Portland, Oregon, white peony is used to nourish the blood. He said the herb also alleviate pains caused by liver yin and blood deficiency, which tends to take the form of cramping, including abdominal pain and cramps due to diarrhea, menstruation, labor or muscle cramps.