Fern-leaf Peony

Appearance

''Paeonia tenuifolia'' is a hairless herbaceous perennial with a stem of 30–60 cm high, which are densely set with alternately arranged compound leaves. The lowest leaves are twice compounded or the leaflets are deeply divided into many fine linear segments, ½-6 mm wide, with a blunt to rounded tip, dark green above, and lighter glaucous green below.

The mostly single flower per stem seems to be floating on the foliage. The flower is 6–8 cm across, cup-shaped, with deep crimson, long inverted egg-shaped petals, with a rounded or even blunt top. The stamens are 1½—2 cm long, with yellow filaments, anthers and pollen. There are usually three, sometimes two, coarse felty haired carpels, that will eventually develop into 2 cm long, dry, dehiscent fruits called follicles. This species is diploid with ten chromosomes.

Naming

It was described by Linnaeus in 1759. The leaves are finely divided into almost thread-like segments and grow close together on the stems. This peony can reach between 30 and 60 centimeters in height. The flowers are red and scented with numerous yellow stamens in the centre.

Habitat

''P. tenuifolia'' flowers earlier than other peonies, and dies down early too. This is probably because it grows in steppes, with dry and hot summers. The seeds of this species germinate above the soil in full light, which is exceptional among peonies.

The caterpillars of the moth ''Pelatea klugiana'' feed of the leaves of several ''Paeonia'' species, among which ''P. tenuifolia''. These larvae live with several together in a nest of silk that binds together several lobes of a leaf, and move only within the nest.