Tree Peony (Paeonia suffriticosa) (Mountain Peony, Mu-dan, Feng Dan Bai, White Phoenix) Native to China. White Pheonix is incredibly beautiful, perhaps the more so because it takes so much time and skill to grow it from seed to flower. I am hoping that the photo of the flower as it grows in my garden will inspire more people to undertake the challenge. Although the seed really does take a long time to come up (one to two years), it is a very robust germinator (falling into the self-generated class of "volcanic germinators") it is quite reliable. After the wait, its always a surprise when they do germinate--almost always in the spring. The best way to control the seeds, I have found, is to plant in good potting soil in gallon pots and keep in the shade house. Mulch the pots to keep them from drying out. Seedlings should be individuated after they set their first true leaves, and grown out in gallon pots for another year at least before transplanting to the landscape. The plant prefers part shade and a cool root system. White Pheonix is the cultivar that is most popularly used for medicine. Grows to as tall as 6 feet, but the plants bearing the flowers (as shown) are about 5 years old and 3 feet tall. They get a little bigger each year.