The steppe peonies (Paeonia tenuifolia) at the Botanical Reserve at Zau de Câmpie in central Romania, the highest location in the world where this plant has adapted, have begun to bloom a bit earlier than usual due to the high temperatures. 

According to the custodian of the Zau de Câmpie Reserve, Ciprian Cenan, the first three peonies opened on April 5, but the high temperatures caused them to bloom very quickly, prompting him to urge fans of the flower to come and see it. 

Typically, the steppe peonies at Zau de Câmpie bloom in April-May and, depending on the temperature and the sequence of blooming phases, can be admired for two to three weeks, up to a month at the most. 

Steppe peonies are 10-30 centimeters tall and are bright red. They are extremely delicate and die immediately if picked.

“The exceptionally high temperatures caused the peonies to bloom very quickly and the flowers to last less than usual. Quite a few have opened, and we expect you to admire them this weekend! It is an atypical year, and for those who want to see them, we suggest not delaying the visit too much,” Ciprian Cenan wrote on the reserve's Facebook page. 

This blooming season for the steppe peony coincides with the 685th anniversary of the documentary attestation of the commune of Zau de Câmpie, which is also the site of Ugron Castle, known as the 'Calendar Castle.' In this context, the Visit Mureș Association, the Zau de Câmpie City Hall, and the Manifest for Heritage Association are organizing, on April 27 and 28, the first edition of the Peony Festival at the Castle. 

“An event that showcases the beauty of the steppe peony and the fascinating story of the Ugron Castle has not occurred until now. Therefore, it is time to bring together the flowers, history, and local gastronomy. The Peony Festival at the Castle is the first event that will invite visitors to the peony reserve to stop in the castle courtyard for an unprecedented local experience,” event organizers said, cited by G4media.ro.

Visitors will be greeted with local products, workshops of artisan masters, multiple workshops for children, a theater play, a film screening, a photographic exhibition, exhibits of folk costumes, and an aristocratic dinner at the castle.

“Unique in SE Europe, the steppe peony reserve at Zau de Câmpie is said to be 10,000 years old, appearing even in the postglacial period, though the first sightings of the steppe peony at Zau de Câmpie were made in 1846 when the flower was exhibited in Vienna,” the organizers claim on the event page. 

In 1932, academician Alexandru Borza, considered the founder of the Romanian school of botany, established the current steppe peony reserve, located 5 kilometers from the center of the commune of Zau de Câmpie. The reserve, situated at an altitude of over 450 meters, covers 3.5 hectares and has over 50,000 steppe peonies.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/REZERVATIA NATURALA - Bujorul de Stepa - Zau De Campie)