The European common peony (Paeonia officinalis) was introduced to Britain before 1548 and was used mostly for medicinal purposes in the 1400s.
The tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) was first brought to England in 1789 by the British East India Company and planted in Kew Gardens.
In the early 1800s, the Chinese common peony (Paeonia lactiflora) was brought to France from China and introduced into European gardens.
By the second half of the 1800s, new peony hybrids were being developed by French breeders like Calot, Lemoine, Crousse and Dessert, many of which are still popular today.
Intensive peony breeding in Europe, particularly in the UK and France, started in the 19th century when Paeonia lactiflora was introduced from China. Breeders selected many new varieties, mainly with Paeonia lactiflora.
During the 19th century, peonies captured the imagination of many European Impressionist painters such as Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Delacroix, Renoir, Whistler and Fantin-Latour, who included peonies in their paintings.
Peonies also featured in Art Nouveau posters in the early 1900s, further popularizing them as ornamental garden plants.