Showy California native is in bloom now
The Matilija poppy plant can grow quite tall, producing a stunning show of large white flowers with yellow stamens. Kathy Morrison
That's a poppy? That taller-than-me plant with the crinkled white flowers?
Yes, indeed it is, and as a bonus this perennial poppy is a California native, attractive to bees and butterflies.
The formal name of this stunner is Coulter's Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri), but it's also known as the "fried egg flower." The topknot of bright yellow stamens against the white is what inspired the nickname.
The Matilija poppy is native to Southern California and Baja; the name is a combination of indigenous and botanical history. Chief Matilija was a (possibly mythical) leader of the Chumash tribe, of the present-day Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and the Channel Islands. Matilija also is the name of a canyon in Los Padres National Forest, near Ojai.
The plant was "discovered" by Irish botanist Thomas Coulter, who honored his friend Dr. Thomas Romney Robinson by latinizing his middle name for the flower's botanical name.
Interesting fact: The Matilija poppy was a runner-up in the 1890 vote to choose the state flower, losing to the much smaller California poppy. The Mariposa lily was the third choice.
A Matilija poppy takes a few years to become established, preferring a sunny, well-drained location, but it's not fussy about soil. Once it is established, it is drought-tolerant and requires almost no water over summer -- which means it's an excellent plant for the Sacramento Valley. (My plant exists only on winter/spring rainfall, and is in a location well away from irrigation sources. The root area gets some afternoon shade.)
The poppy spreads via rhizomes but pulling any wayward shoots usually takes care of that. Not quite a "plant it and forget it" part of the landscape, it needs occasional pruning. Given the chance, it can reach 20 feet wide and 7 to 10 feet tall, according to Calscape, but some gardeners report plants 15 feet tall.
It should be cut back in late fall or in winter. After seeing what it did last year and this spring, I'd recommend taking it down to at least 3 feet and even 12 inches tall. This will control the plant size and prevent sky-high blossoms the next year. Older stems can be cut back completely once spring growth begins.
Other Matilija poppy attributes:
-- Deer-resistant
-- Decent cut flower (cut at the bud stage)
-- Scented blossoms that can be as large as 9 inches across
-- Good hillside erosion-prevention plant
Tip: The UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery has 19 Coulter's Matilija poppies in 1-gallon pots on its inventory for the May 2 plant sale. Transplants are the way to go with this plant. Get it in the ground quickly, so it has time to establish some roots before the heat hits. Or move it to a slightly larger container and keep it watered until fall, when it can go in the ground. It's not generally recommended as a container plant.
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
Aug. 25: Crape myrtles, Sacramento's unofficial tree of summer
Aug. 18: Pollinators adore scabiosa, aka pincushion flower
Aug. 11: Hardy hibiscus adds big tropical impact
Aug. 4: Dianthus a deceptively hardy flower
July 28: Naked Ladies put on summer show
July 21: Thank Luther Burbank for these long-lasting beauties (Shasta daisies)
July 14: How to keep hydrangeas happy
July 7: Grow these bright cosmos for bees and butterflies
June 30: Agapanthus adds blue fireworks to the garden
June 23: Easy-care gazanias fill those hot corners
June 16: Daylilies are perfect for water-wise gardens (and a lot more)
June 9: Grow coneflowers for pollinators -- and yourself
June 2: Sunflowers capture Sacramento's summer attitude
May 29: Are your roses going 'blind'?
May 26: Zinnias are the summer flowers every garden needs
May 19: Plant dahlias now for late-summer flower power
May 12: Know your coreopsis from your bidens
May 5: Mums the word on Mother's Day weekend
April 28: Majestic Matilija poppy is worth a look
April 21: Celebrate roses, America's favorite flower
April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
March 17: The perfect flower for beginners? Try zonal geraniums
March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
Feb. 24: Treasure spring daffodils now and for years to come
Feb. 17: How and why to grow wildflowers
Feb. 10: Let's talk Valentine's Day roses
Feb. 3: Why grow flowers?
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Garden checklist for week of Aug. 30
Enjoy this mild late-summer weather – and get to work!
* September starts another season in the vegetable garden. Now is the time to plant for fall. The warm soil will get these veggies off to a fast start.
* Keep harvesting tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons and eggplant.
* Compost annuals and vegetable crops that have finished producing.
* Cultivate and add compost to the soil to replenish its nutrients for fall and winter vegetables and flowers.
* Fertilize deciduous fruit trees.
* Plant onions, lettuce, peas, radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, bok choy, spinach and potatoes directly into the vegetable beds.
* Transplant cabbage, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower as well as lettuce seedlings.
* Sow seeds of California poppies, clarkia and African daisies. Transplant cool-weather annuals such as pansies, violas, fairy primroses, calendulas, stocks and snapdragons.
* Divide and replant bulbs, rhizomes and perennials.
* Dig up and divide daylilies as they complete their bloom cycle.
* Divide and transplant peonies that have become overcrowded. Replant with “eyes” about an inch below the soil surface.
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Add asparagus to your edible garden
Soggy soil and what to do about it
Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
We don't talk (enough) about beets
Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Enhance your food with edible flowers
Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
How to grow summer salad greens
Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
Help pollinators help your garden
Battling early-season tomato pests
Where are the bees when you need them?
How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
Grow culinary herbs in containers
When to plant summer vegetables
Don't be fooled by these garden myths
Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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