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Perennial of the Ranunculaceae family, native to southern Siberia, Mongolia, and northern China. It grows in grassy steppes, sunny rocky slopes, and edges of clear coniferous forests, on well-drained substrates, generally at moderate altitudes.
It forms small compact clumps, reaching 10 to 20 cm at flowering. The foliage is finely cut, with narrow and numerous segments, of a medium green, bearing a characteristic silky pubescence when young. The flowering stems, densely hairy, are remarkably robust for the size of the plant.
The flower is one of the most striking features of the genus in this species: the six tepals, of an intense violet to deep blue-violet, remain strongly curved inward, giving the flower a distinctly bell-shaped, almost closed form, which only partially opens even in full sun. The outer surface of the tepals is covered with a dense silvery-gray pubescence, visible on the still inclined buds. The center, of a bright orange to red-orange, contrasts sharply with the dark violet of the tepals. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from April to May. In cultivation, it generally blooms in March-April.
It requires a very well-drained, light soil, in full exposure.