| Paeonia brownii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Paeoniaceae |
| Genus: | Paeonia |
| Species: | P. brownii |
| Binomial name | |
| Paeonia brownii Douglas ex Hook. |
|
Paeonia brownii (Brown's Peony or Native Peony), is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Paeoniaceae, native to the western United States, growing in dry sagebrush and Ponderosa Pine country. Excepting Paeonia californica, which is sometimes considered a subspecies, this is the only Paeonia native to North America.
Native to the western United States, P. californica grows in southern California, and subspecies brownii is native to Wyoming and Utah.[1]
It is 24-50 cm tall with flowers of a dark maroon opening to 2-3 cm. Flowering occurs in April to June followed by a long dormancy.
The species grows at high elevations and experiences long, cold winters with little or no snow and a short growing season, while subsp. californica is less cold hardy, and is a near-desert succulent, going a year or more without rain.[1]
Neither subspecies is typically grown in gardens.
It is named after Scottish botanist Robert Brown.[1]