The peony or paeony is a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia  the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae . Peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguished, ranging from 25 to 40,although the current consensus describes 33 known species. Most are herbaceous perennial plants 0.25–1 metre tall, but some are woody shrubs 0.25–3.5 metres tall. They have compound, deeply lobed leaves and large, often fragrant flowers, in colors ranging from purple and pink to red, white or yellow, in late spring and early summer. The flowers have a short blooming season, usually only 7–10 days.