Flowering stem leafy, up to 20-60 cm. Leaves linear, 5-10 cm x 1-2 cm broad. Flowers 1-20, tiariform, bright red, also white and orange, up to 5 cm diam., nodding. V - mid spring to mid autumn, in St. Petersburg May-September. Fl - June for 2-3 weeks. P - by seed and by scales, flowering 2-3 years after sowing. Tolerates partial shade. Short-lived plant (5-7 years). Introduced in 1728. Z 4.

Siberia (eastern regions), Far East, northern Mongolia, China and Korea. In steppe and on rocky slopes, on loam and sandy soil.