Peony

The peony is a very popular perennial. The compound leaves make for a huge flower bloom, about the size of a softball. Lots of blooming pom poms make for a striking display in the landscape. Karen planted this peony two years ago. As is typical with perennials, the first year the plant was basically dormant. By the second year, the plant grew significantly, but didn't have a lot of blooms. This year, the third year, the perennial really goes crazy with growth and blooms.

According to Wikipedia, the peony is named after Paeon, a student of Asciepius, the Greek god of healing. Asciepius became jealous of Paeon, so Zeus turned Paeon into the flower, saving him from the wrath of Asciepius.