Decoding the Scent Map of Herbaceous Peony

Floral scent is more than a pleasant trait: it shapes pollinator attraction, plant communication, and the market value of ornamental flowers. In herbaceous peony, one of the world’s most valued garden and cut-flower plants, the molecular recipe behind fragrance has remained only partly understood. A new study traces how Paeonia lactiflora ‘Zifengyu’ produces its dominant scent compounds, including β-caryophyllene, geraniol, citronellol, and 1,8-cineole. By connecting volatile profiling wi