Matilija poppy + cv

Romneya coulteri

Description

The Matilija poppy is one of California’s most striking perennial plants. Over time, it can grow into large sizes with seasonal heights of 6-10 ft. tall and spreading by underground stems 10-12 ft or more across. Blue-green leaves are cut into 3-5 deep lobes. Flowers are the largest of any California native plant. One cultivar, R. c. ‘White Cloud’ produces flowers that can reach 5-10 in. wide. They are comprised of large white crepe-like petals with a center containing numerous golden-yellow stamens that occur in late spring.

Matilija poppy grows best in loose and well-drained soils and with little need for summer water after their flowering cycle is complete. Young plants sometime struggle to become established; mature plants can be hard to contain. Foliage and stems die back by the end of summer and should be cut to the ground in late fall to accommodate new growth. The Matilija poppy is a high impact plant suited to slopes and background areas in California native and Mediterranean gardens where the floral display easily draws attention.

Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Foliage Character: Drought deciduous
Habit: Upright, Spreading, Robust
Growth Rate: Fast
Foliage Color: Pale green, Blue green
Flower Color: White
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Morning sun, Heat, Drought, All day sun, Partial sun
Function: Flowering accent plant, California native, Background plant
Height: 6 ft. – 10 ft.
Width: 6 ft. – 10 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 1

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 3-4 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another 3-4 weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
If you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, it is best not to use the automatic weather adjusting features for plants in this category. While very useful for watering higher water demanding plants, those in this category have natural drought adaptations which mean they do not need to be watered more in warm weather. Using the weather adjusting features will result in either overwatering in summer or underwatering in fall and spring.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.

In small gardens, spent blooms can be individually removed if desired to extend the bloom period. Cut back all the way to the ground (appx. 6″ high) every year between late Fall and early January (1,2). When planting, be gentile with the roots because they break easily (3). This plant wants to spread out. Be careful in small gardens. It may take a lot of work to keep it from taking over (S). References