Paeonia suffruticosa has a long history of being used as medicine in Chinese medicine.
There are more than 1000 Chinese tree peony cultivars with various kind of flower colors and flower forms that have been selected artificially for medicinal uses for more than 2000 years.
The root bark, often referred to as Mu Dan Pi or Cortex Moutan, is the main part that is used in Chinese medicine. Mu Dan Pi’s main functions include clears heat, cools blood, clears fire from deficiency, clears ascending Liver fire, and mildly invigorates the blood.
Mu Dan Pi that has best quality should be very fragrant, and is thick, white and starchy. The flower is now mostly cultivated for medical uses.
Due to over-harvesting, the wild plant is threatened with extinction.