Romneya

The Botanical name of this poppy is Romneya coulteri or the Matilija Poppy and this poppy is a favorite of many gardeners. This poppy is one of the more difficult poppies to grow, however once established it can become a problem plant, because its roots spread, for this reason it is often found growing wild.

One of the most interesting things about the Romneya coulteri is its pod, which has been dried and made into miniature bird cages in some cultures. This plant is often considered native to California and is one that needs to be pruned back during the cool weather of winter or the Matilija Poppy will not grow as uniformly. It is also known as having the largest blossom of any of the native California poppies.

The flowers of this species can appear wrinkled, have the appearance of crepe and have the look of a Peony with flowers 4 to 6 inches in diameter. It grows in the form of a semi bush and grows from 4 to 6 feet in height, it is also known for spreading each year. The Romneya coulteri blooms from the end of June until the beginning of September in the California climate, with each stem having from six to twelve blooms.

Since this poppy spreads and is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico it is often used in parks and other semi wild places where it is planted in a sandy loam.

This is also one of the poppy species that can be cut and the flowers used in home décor in vases, due to its unique bloom and its perfumed smell that is similar to primrose.