Paeonia californica (California Peony)

 3/13/04 On our property in La Cresta, Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

2/29/04 On our property in La Cresta 

2/29/04 On our property in La Cresta

3/14/08 Junction of paved road and 4WD Forest Service road from Tenaja Trail, 
Cleveland National Forest, Riverside County, CA

3/6/05 South side of Hwy. 79 between call box and Wood Chuck Road 
(heading towards Aguanga), Riverside County, CA

1/16/05 Elfin Forest, Baywood Park, San Luis Obispo County, CA

12/30/18 Engelmann Loop Trail, Sylvan Meadows, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve,
Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: California Peony

SPECIES: Paeonia californica

FAMILY: Paeoniaceae (Peony Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 2/29/2004

LOCATION: Abundant in a chaparral stand (coastal sage scrub) on our property (summer dormant), La Cresta, Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

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Treatment from The Jepson Manual (1993):

Stem 35–75 cm, generally branched

Leaves 7–12 per stem, dark green above, paler beneath, not very glaucous; 1° divisions 3–9 cm, 1–6 cm wide, bases slightly narrowed; ultimate segments ± widely linear or oblong, bases barely or not tapered, tips generally long-acute

Flower: petals 15–25 mm, > inner sepals, elliptic, deep blackish red, margins pink; filaments 5–8 mm, anthers 3–7 mm

Fruit: follicles 3–4 cm

Seeds ± 16 mm, ± curved

Ecology: Chaparral, coastal scrub

Elevation: 0–1500 m.  

Bioregional distribution: s Central Coast, South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges  

Horticultural information: DRN, DRY: 15, 16, 17, 24 &SHD: 7, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.