Herbaceous peony, from the flowers of the twelve months: April

清朝 惲冰繪 花卉冊頁之二﹕芍藥 紙本設色
The herbaceous peony (shaoyao) is one of two commonly cultivated types of peonies in China, the other is tree peony. Among the many names for the peony is "flower of wealth and honor" (fuguihua). Regarded as the "king of flowers," the peony is associated with royalty; among flowering plants its rank was seen as the equivalent to the highest among officials in imperial China.
The theme of this album, the flowers of the twelve months, was popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to an early 1600s list, the herbaceous peony depicted here was associated with the fourth month of the lunar calendar. However, the selection of flowers used to represent the seasons or months was by no means set or routine.