Taproot deep. Flowering stems 60-120 cm. Leaves biternate, segments lanceolate, entire. Flowers solitary, purple-pink, 8-15 cm diam. During the peak of the flowering period the flowers are very numerous, covering the entire bush. V - early spring to mid autumn, in St. Petersburg Fl - May, Fr - July. P - by division and by seed sown immediately in mid summer. Come into flower in 3-4 years after sowing. Tolerates partial shade, grows best on rich soil in sunny places. A very attractive species. In cultivation since 1788, however poorly known today. Z 4 (3).
European part of Russia (eastern regions), Siberia, Central Asia (Dzungarskiy Alatau, Tarbagatay, Tien Shan), northwestern China and Mongolia. Clearings in forests, meadows, slopes in the mountains.
Closely related to this species are P. intermedia C. A. Mey., with bright red flowers and leaves with linear-lanceolate segments and P. hybrida Pall., with crimson-red flowers (7-9 cm diam.) and leaves with linear segments (3-5 mm wide). Both occur in Siberia and Central Asia, where hybrids between these three species can be found. Z 4 (3). New.
