Blooms and Beyond - Season 1, Episode 6Episode Title:“The Queen of Flowers: From HVAC Engineer to Peony Scientist with Dr. Emily Zhou”Episode DescriptionWhat happens when an HVAC engineer falls in love with plants and earns a PhD studying one of the world’s most beloved flowers? In this episode, Dr. Ping Yu sits down with Dr. Emily Zhou, assistant professor at the University of Central Missouri, to explore her remarkable journey from engineering in China to pioneering peony research in the United States.Peonies have captivated cultures for over 4,000 years—from ancient Chinese poetry to modern American weddings. But growing these stunning “queens of the flower world” isn’t easy. Dr. Zhou’s groundbreaking research reveals how growers can slash production time from 18 months to just 5-6 months using the right combination of chilling treatments and plant growth regulators. Whether you’re a commercial producer looking to hit the Valentine’s Day market or a plant enthusiast dreaming of growing peonies in the South, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and enchanting plant stories.Discover why peonies need cold to bloom, how a $120 yellow peony in a one-gallon pot reflects the plant’s precious nature, and what it means when a plant scientist says she still thinks like an engineer. This is plant power at its finest!Listen Time: ~46 minutesConsulte las Notas del Programa🌸 This Episode is Sponsored by AFEThis episode in our first season is made possible through an educational grant from the American Floral Endowment, whose research priorities helped shape the topics that are featured. To learn more about AFE and access their research and educational resources, visit their website at endowment.org.Featured AFE Resource: DLI Maps and Free DLI Poster — Understanding Daily Light Integral is essential for greenhouse production. Access these free tools at endowment.org.In This EpisodeFeatured GuestDr. Emily Zhou — Assistant Professor, University of Central Missouri, Department of Agriculture. Former R&D Scientist at Bowery Farming (indoor vertical farm). PhD research focused on herbaceous peony production, vernalization, and plant growth regulators. Background in HVAC engineering with 10+ years industry experience before transitioning to horticulture.Main TopicsDr. Zhou’s Unique Journey (From HVAC engineer in China and European companies to plant scientistArriving in the U.S. in 2002 and discovering Virginia Tech’s horticulture programFilling the gap: taking undergraduate and graduate courses to build plant science foundationThe moment of asking “What do you love? What is your passion?”How engineering and horticulture came together in controlled environment agricultureWhy Peony Is Her Favorite Plant (“I gained my Doctor of Philosophy out of that”Four years of PhD research requiring data collection through every holiday seasonThe beauty of watching a crown develop into the most beautiful flowerHorticultural therapy: plants adding value to mental and spiritual wellbeingPeony History: From China to the World (Native to China with 3,000-4,000 years of cultivation historyAppears in ancient Chinese poetry as a flower of loveMedicinal uses: white root peony and red root peony for herbal medicinePeak cultivation during Tang and Song dynasties around the Yellow RiverLuoyang’s 1,300-year-old peony gardens still thriving todaySpread to Japan, then Europe in late 1800s, then America in early 19th centuryWhy Peonies Are Expensive (Limited cultivars adapted to southern climatesYellow peony cultivar: $120 for a small one-gallon pot (2017)Cut flower value: over $6 per stem for weddingsAmerican Peony Society registers thousands of herbaceous cultivarsTree peony, herbaceous peony, and Itoh hybrids offer diverse optionsRequires skill to grow well—“queen of the flowers” for a reasonCultural Significance (Top 10 most famous flowers in China, representing prosperityTree peony is China’s national flowerIn the U.S.: symbolizes freedom, pioneering spirit, and true loveUsed extensively in weddings“It’s not just the plant, it’s everything about the plant”The Science of Vernalization (Peonies are geophytes (underground storage organs) like tulips and daffodilsUnderground crown develops buds during summer after floweringBuds set by September/October—critical not to cut foliage too earlyWithout adequate chilling, plants grow shoots but no flowersNatural chilling depends on weather; controlled chilling provides consistencyZone 6 and below: natural chilling sufficientZone 7: borderline—may need supplemental chillingForcing for Valentine’s Day (Controlled chilling: 3 weeks (21 days) at 40°F is sufficientSarah Bernhardt cultivar: #1 cut flower worldwide, 50% of peony marketAfter chilling, greenhouse forcing produces flowers in about 2 monthsNetherlands is biggest producer; U.S. growers in Oregon, Washington, Great Lakes regionSouthern growers must use forced chilling to hit Valentine’s marketShortening Production with GA3 (Traditional containerized production: 18 months for marketable plantsGibberellic acid (GA3) can replace some chilling requirementIdeal concentration: 100 parts per million, applied as drenchBest timing: one week after finishing chilling, when moving to greenhouseResult: Production shortened to 5-6 months (Valentine’s supply: 3-4 months)Cost: less than 10 cents per pot“You can do a thousand pots in one day”Plant Retardants for Compact Plants (Problem: Heavy flower heads droop, especially in rain/windShipping/handling issues: tall stems crack, expensive plants unsellableSolution: Plant growth retardants (uniconazole, paclobutrazol)Uniconazole more effective than paclobutrazol for herbaceous peoniesApplication: 15 ppm uniconazole, 12 oz drench per one-gallon containerBenefits: More compact, stronger stems, greener foliage, more marketableApply after chilling—not as pre-plant dip (preserves fungicide treatment)Drench method best: ensures uniform application across variable plant sizesControlled Environment Agriculture (Few people doing CEA when Dr. Zhou started her PhDPostdoc: Built indoor vertical farm, conducted hydroponic researchIndustry experience at Bowery Farming as R&D scientistWhy many vertical farms have failed: “We don’t know enough”Engineers want universal systems; plant scientists know each plant needs different conditionsReturned to academia to train next generation of growers and researchersKey HighlightsDr. Zhou’s PhD took 4 years because peony research requires waiting a full year between trialsSarah Bernhardt peony occupies 50% of the worldwide cut flower peony marketGA3 treatment can reduce peony production from 18 months to 5-6 months at less than 10 cents per potUniconazole drench at 15 ppm creates compact, marketable plants with stronger stemsZone 7 is the “borderline”—growers there may need both GA3 and forced chillingChina has cultivated peonies for 3,000-4,000 years; tree peony is China’s national flowerThe Netherlands is the world’s biggest peony producer; U.S. production centers in Pacific Northwest and Great LakesKey Quotes“I gained my Doctor of Philosophy out of that… I took so long a time and so much effort on this. And it’s rewarding. It is such a beautiful plant.” — Dr. Emily Zhou“They are speaking two different languages, but I know both of them.” — Dr. Emily Zhou, on bridging engineering and plant science“It’s not just the plant, it’s everything about the plant.” — Dr. Ping Yu, on plant power“We don’t know enough. And my idea is going back to academia being a professor.” — Dr. Emily Zhou, on why vertical farms struggle and why education matters“You just learn the things, you never know when one day you can use them.” — Dr. Emily ZhouEducational HighlightsWhat is Vernalization?Vernalization is the process where plants require a period of cold temperatures to trigger flowering. For peonies, this means exposure to temperatures around 40°F (4°C) for several weeks. Without adequate chilling, peonies will grow vegetative shoots but won’t produce flowers.Key Plant Growth Regulators for Peony Production| Chemical | Function | Concentration | Application ||–––––|–––––|—————|———––|| Gibberellic Acid (GA3) | Replaces some chilling requirement, promotes flowering | 100 ppm | Drench, after chilling || Uniconazole | Growth retardant—compact plants, stronger stems | 15 ppm | Drench, 12 oz/pot || Paclobutrazol | Growth retardant (less effective on peonies) | Variable | Drench |Hardiness Zone Guide for Peony ChillingZone 6 and below: Natural chilling sufficientZone 7: Borderline—may benefit from GA3 + forced chillingZone 8+: Requires forced chilling in cold room (40°F for 3 weeks minimum)Peony TypesHerbaceous Peony: Dies back to ground each winter, most common for cut flowersTree Peony: Woody stems persist; China’s national flowerItoh Peony: Hybrid of tree and herbaceous; best characteristics of bothResources & LinksConnect with Dr. Emily Zhou:LinkedIn: Search “Emily Zhou University of Central Missouri”University of Central Missouri, Department of AgricultureResearch Publications:Virginia Tech Extension publications on peony production and GA3 application(Links to be added in show notes at bandbpod.com)AFE Resources for This Episode:DLI Maps: Interactive Daily Light Integral maps to help growers understand light availability by location — visit endowment.orgFree DLI Poster: Download AFE’s free Daily Light Integral poster for your greenhouse or classroomExplore more research and educational resources at endowment.orgOrganizations Mentioned:American Peony Society (cultivar registration)Battlefield Farms, Virginia (commercial peony production)Bowery Farming (indoor vertical farming)Visit the Show:Website: bandbpod.comFull show notes and additional resources at bandbpod.comAbout Blooms and BeyondBlooms and Beyond is a podcast that covers plant history, culture, and management through the lens of science. Whether you’re a commercial grower looking for management solutions, a student exploring horticulture careers, or someone who just loves plants and their stories, you’ll find something here for you. Hosted by Dr. Ping Yu from the University of Georgia, each episode features interviews with experts who bring enchanting stories, pioneering research, and practical wisdom from the world of horticulture.Your Takeaway: When you walk away from each episode, commercial professionals should have at least one piece of advice to help with production, and plant enthusiasts should have one cool fact to share about plants. Because that’s how we spread plant power to a larger audience and make the environment a little bit better.CreditsHost: Dr. Ping YuFeatured Guest: Dr. Emily Zhou, University of Central MissouriProducer: Rich Braman, UGA Center for Urban AgricultureFunding AcknowledgementThis episode in our first season is made possible through an educational grant from the American Floral Endowment, whose research priorities helped shape the topics that are featured. To learn more about AFE and access their research and educational resources, visit their website at endowment.org.Episode Release Date: January 18th, 2026Episode Length: “Till next time, stay healthy and go plants!” 🌸🌿Episode TagsPeony, herbaceous peony, tree peony, vernalization, chilling requirement, GA3, gibberellic acid, uniconazole, plant growth regulators, cut flowers, Valentine’s Day, controlled environment agriculture, CEA, vertical farming, HVAC, Virginia Tech, China, floriculture, nursery production