Peony

The Peony (Itarakoské: Shémin'gel) is a group of flowering plants which are seen throughout the Lein Empire. Often cultivated in the gardens of the wealthy, they are much revered by the Tarakasane, and often appear in their art and literature.

Names and Nicknames
The name shémin'gel is derived from the m-n-g root, meaning 'to unfold' or 'to reveal' - an allusion to the petals of many cultivated varieties with large petals that unfurl when opening.

As a flower that opens during the spring and summer, it is also known poetically as the 'King of the Spring Flowers'; as such it is often placed alongside the Chrysanthemum, which is considered the 'Queen of the Autumn Flowers'. Paintings of the peony often either depict it with other springtime flowers, or alongside the chrysanthemum.