Matilija Poppy
Romneya coulteri · Papaveraceae
- Form
- Perennial
- Height
- 5–8 ft
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Very Low
- Blooms
- May, Jun, Jul
- Habitat
- Chaparral
🌿 California native
Quick facts
- Habitat: Chaparral, dry washes, disturbed slopes (often post-fire)
- Form / size: Tall spreading perennial, 5–8 ft
- Sun: Full sun · Water (established): Very low
- Blooms: Late spring–summer · Pollinator value: High
Description
Holder of the largest flower of any California native — huge, crinkled white petals around a boss of golden stamens, exactly like a fried egg, up to 6–9 inches across, over blue-green deeply lobed foliage on tall canes. Spectacular and unmistakable. (One of the species featured on Bryan’s own site.)
Wildlife & pollinators
The big pollen-rich flowers draw native and carpenter bees.
Habitat & range
Dry washes, canyon slopes, and burned or disturbed chaparral of Southern California; a vigorous coloniser of open ground.
In the garden
Show-stopping but assertive — it spreads by deep rhizomes and can travel, so give it room or contain it. Full sun, sharp drainage, no summer water. Cut to the ground in fall after it goes dormant. Slow to establish, then enthusiastic.
Propagation
Tricky from seed (benefits from a smoke/heat cue — it’s a fire-follower); more often grown from root cuttings / suckers. Establishment can be slow.
Where to see it near you
- iNaturalist — observed in Orange County
- Dry washes and recovering burn areas.
Problems
Mainly its spreading habit — site it where it can roam. Resents being moved once established.
