Paeonia cambessedesii is a clump-forming, perennial, herbaceous peony, which dies down in the autumn, and overwinters with buds just under the surface of the soil, and may reach a height of 25–60 cm.

The center of the flower consists of three to nine, initially purple carpels, each of which is connected through a thick style with a reddish stigma on top.

The three to eight (mostly four to six) carpels develop into dry dehiscent fruits (called follicles) of about 6 cm long, that open with a suture along their lengths, and contain initially carmine colored seeds that turn glossy black when fully ripe.

It is most related to P. russoi, from Corsica and Sardinia, but that species is a tetraploid, and the upper surface of its leaves retain a purple hue even when fully developed.

[2][3][6] The Balearic peony's territory has shrunk, not only as a result of damage inflicted by grazing animals such as feral goats, but due also to the picking of flowers and the uprooting of wild plants for garden use by humans.

Habitat degradation is a further contributing factor, growth sites being damaged or destroyed by urban sprawl, including tourism-related development.

The plant is probably not very hardy and vulnerable to stagnant water, so may be expected to perform best in temperate climates when offered deep, well-draining, lime-rich soil, in a warm, sunny and well protected location.

[7][8] It is suggested that seeds can be tricked into early germination by putting them in a closed container under a moist topsoil and storing them in a refrigerator for three or four months.

The small seedlings of Paeonia cambessedesii share the intense gamut of color with the shoots of their parents and are protected against frost this way.