Plant Name

Scientific Name: Acourtia nana

Synonym: Perezia nana

Common Names: Dwarf Desertpeony, Dwarf Desert Peony, Desert Holly

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland

Flower Color: Pale pink

Flowering Season: Spring

Height: To 8 inches (20 cm) tall, but usually less

Description: There are 15 to 25 flowers per flower head. The flower heads are 1 inch (2.5 cm) across and are borne singly. The flowers are followed by fluffy seed heads with numerous pale tan-colored bristles. The leaves clasp the stems and are simple, dull green, stiff, leathery, and holly-like in appearance with rippled, spine-toothed margins.

Special Characteristics

Fragrant – The flowers have a sweet, violet-like fragrance.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta Plants
Class: Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae Aster family
Genus: Acourtia D. Don – desertpeony
Species: Acourtia nana (A. Gray) Reveal & King – dwarf desertpeony