Description

Paeonia emodi, the Himalayan peony, is a herbaceous perennial of the family Paeoniaceae, native to the temperate montane forests and sub-alpine meadows of the western Himalayas — particularly the Kashmir valley, Himachal Pradesh, and the adjacent areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan — at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 metres. The plant produces large, showy, white flowers with bright yellow stamens and finely divided leaves. The thick, tuberous root is the primary commercial plant part. Known in Unani pharmacopoeia as Udsaleeb or Ood-e-Saleeb and referenced in Ayurvedic texts as associated with blood purification and Vata-related formulations, the root contains paeoniflorin and related monoterpene glucosides of phytochemical interest. In Unani medicine, it is incorporated in formulations for epilepsy, convulsive conditions, and nervous system disorders. A protected species in Jammu and Kashmir due to over-harvesting.