Hunnemannia

The Hunnemannia is a member of the Papaveraceae family is botanically known as Hunnemannia fumariifolia botanically and known to the average person as the Mexican tulip poppy.

This poppy is a perennial news and in central Mexico, along a roadside at elevations of 1500 2000 meters, such as the Chihuahuan Desert. It grows heartily in Rocky habitats and is often found growing along roadsides grows height of approximately 24 to 36 inches.

The flower known as the tool poppy or the Mexican tulip poppy is named this because the flowers resembles the tulip and have overlapping petals reach from 5 to 7 cm across. The blooms on this plant are very yellow and it will flower from Midsummer to mid fall, the plant tolerates some sun exposure in this drought tolerant.

Planting outdoors should be done by seed rather than seedlings as transplants with any of the poppy family do not well and it should be done after the last frost. When flowering and the flowers fall off, leaving the seeds ready they can either reseed themselves or the seeds can be collected. One tip for planting the seeds is to soak the seeds prior planting and plant in late summer or early autumn when the temperatures drop to 50°F at night. This will ensure that the following season they will grow strong and healthy following season. Gardeners can grow the Mexican tulip poppy in mixed beds, window boxes and as borders. This poppy also makes a good cut flower lasting up to one week when placed in a vase.