California Peony

The California peony is a summer-deciduous perennial herbaceous plant of 35–75 cm (14–30 in) high. Each shoot usually carries seven to twelve compound leaves, each primary segment is 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long and 1–6 cm (0.39–2.36 in) wide, and the finest divisions are linear to spade-shaped. The base of the leaflet blade narrows gradually into the leaflet stalk, which is short or may be absent. The tips of the leaflets are usually pointy, and the surface of the leaf is green and not particularly glaucous. The bisexual flowers occur at the tip of the stem and are nodding. The petals are dark red or purplish, sometimes almost black, while the margins are lighter, elliptic in shape and 1.5–2.5 cm (0.59–0.98 in) long, usually longer than the sepals. The numerous stamens consist of filaments of 0.5–0.8 cm (0.20–0.31 in) topped by anthers of 0.3–0.7 cm (0.12–0.28 in) long, containing yellow pollen. Two to five carpels eventually develop into follicles of 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) long. The seeds are about 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long, slightly curved, and have a dull, coarsely wrinkled surface. P. californica has ten chromosomes (2n=10), as all other diploid peonies.

Differences from related species. The California peony is most related to, and close in appearance to Brown's peony, with which it constitutes the section Onaepia. …

California peonies have a native distribution in southwestern California (Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties) and in neighboring Mexico (northern Baja California), although distribution in Mexico is poorly known. It grows on dry hillsides in the coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities of the coastal mountains of Southern and Central California, often as an understory plant between sea level and 1,500 m (4,900 ft) elevation.

The California peony has entered limited cultivation in native plant landscaping and xeriscaping. It is drought-tolerant and is moisture sensitive in the summer, when its swollen root will rot if watered. It prefers partial sun and tolerates a variety of soil types. Deer seem to avoid eating this plant.