Bush poppies - Dendromecon, Romneya

[Josue Diaz]

I paid a visit to a couple of my favorite nurseries in the SF bay area this weekend since I was traveling that way. With fall time approaching, now is the perfect time to plant natives in the ground to take advantage of winter rains. I came home with two bush poppies. 

The first, Dendromecon harfordii.

 

[Josue Diaz]

And second, Romneya coulteri. Looking forward to seeing these bloom

 

[Silas_Sancona]

 Great choices Josue, you'll love 'em both. Romneya can spread a bit ( by rhizomes) but shouldn't become an issue. Las Pilitas has a great write-up on their website.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Silas_Sancona

[Gonzer]

They can be hard to establish but the rewards are worth it. The local branch of Las Pilitas near me unexpectedly closed up shop about a year ago. One day there, the next day 'Poof'.

 

[Josue Diaz]

12 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

 Great choices Josue, you'll love 'em both. Romneya can spread a bit ( by rhizomes) but shouldn't become an issue. Las Pilitas has a great write-up on their website.

I have seen Romneya around town and always swoon over them. Las Pilitas is usually my go-to site for information on natives. They even have region-specific information for growing in the Central Valley. 

6 hours ago, Gonzer said:

They can be hard to establish but the rewards are worth it. The local branch of Las Pilitas near me unexpectedly closed up shop about a year ago. One day there, the next day 'Poof'.

This is my third Romneya, the first two did not make it. One shrunk and struggled for two years before finally just giving up. The second died seemingly overnight after I planted it. It just went into rapid decline and within a week it was a sad bunch of dried sticks. I'm hopeful for this one since I think I'm planting it at the right time of year. I haven't been to Las Pilitas in years, but they are by far my favorite native plant nursery. I've only ever been to their Santa Margarita location, which I guess is now their only location. It's too bad their Escondido location is now closed. 

[Silas_Sancona]

13 minutes ago, Josue Diaz said:

I have seen Romneya around town and always swoon over them. Las Pilitas is usually my go-to site for information on natives. They even have region-specific information for growing in the Central Valley. 

This is my third Romneya, the first two did not make it. One shrunk and struggled for two years before finally just giving up. The second died seemingly overnight after I planted it. It just went into rapid decline and within a week it was a sad bunch of dried sticks. I'm hopeful for this one since I think I'm planting it at the right time of year. I haven't been to Las Pilitas in years, but they are by far my favorite native plant nursery. I've only ever been to their Santa Margarita location, which I guess is now their only location. It's too bad their Escondido location is now closed. 

Had heard rumors of Las Pilitas closing the Escondido location from the Nursery director at Desert Survivors in Tucson.. Wonder what the reason was. They ( Desert Survivors) often exchange plant material / seed with RECON in San Diego, and Tree Of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano.  T.O.L.N. apparently cultivates several hard to find natives from Baja, at least from info on their plant list.  

I think the trick w/ getting some of the touchy-er CA. natives going in the landscape is, as you mentioned,  planting at the right time, and of course, a real close eye on watering while getting them established. Romneya were one of a few things that were a challenge to keep looking good in the nursery during the summer. 

[Gonzer]

3 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Had heard rumors of Las Pilitas closing the Escondido location from the Nursery director at Desert Survivors in Tucson.. Wonder what the reason was. They ( Desert Survivors) often exchange plant material / seed with RECON in San Diego, and Tree Of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano.  T.O.L.N. apparently cultivates several hard to find natives from Baja, at least from info on their plant list.  

I think the trick w/ getting some of the touchy-er CA. natives going in the landscape is, as you mentioned,  planting at the right time, and of course, a real close eye on watering while getting them established. Romneya were one of a few things that were a challenge to keep looking good in the nursery during the summer. 

Just a footnote: Mike Evans, the owner of Tree of Life, was my first instructor in horticulture back in '73. Back then he was head over heels about tropicals. We laugh about the way things turned out.

[Kim]

I used to grow the Matilija poppy at another garden. First try died, second one made it. Those big flowers are so rewarding! Then It kind of got out of hand, coming up in the alley behind me through a concrete water valve box. You've been warned!

 

[Hillizard]

Josue: I use a rock mulch around most of my California natives, since I've lost some in the past due to summer water, which can lead to a very fast root wilt from bacterial or fungal pathogens that may be in the soil. I never water either of my Dendromecon species directly. I only water them a few times in the summer and about 2-3 feet from the base of each plant. Below are what's in bloom right now in my front yard where I practice water conservation (We won't discuss my water use in the backyard with all the palms and subtropicals! )

- Dendromecon rigida is found native in many California counties. Has thin leaves and a sprawling habit. Blooms practically year-round. The red flowers are from a Beloperone californica (Chuparosa) next to it.

- Dendromecon harfordii: (the one you're growing) is native to the Channel Islands off the coast and handles extreme drought very well once it's established. Flowers are larger than D. rigida.

- Zauschneria latifolia johnstonii (Bush California Fuchsia) which remains in one place and doesn't spread like other 'California fuchsia" species. I cut it back to the ground in early spring when the new growth starts. Seedlings do sprout around it in the spring.

[Josue Diaz]

Here are both of these today. both are blooming

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by Josue Diaz

[Josue Diaz]

[Hillizard]

Josue: Very nice!  If they're happy, you can expect both of these species to get very large quickly. At my old place I had a Romneya that was planted in gravel basically and it grew and bloomed well each year. The benefits of many native plants in addition to blooms: few pests, no fertilizer needed, low water use and attractive to wildlife.

[Josue Diaz]

Just thought I'd share an update. The dendromecon has been blooming most of winter. 

I cut the Romneya back in fall, now it's coming back and getting ready to bloom again. I've taken some of its runners and transplanted them elsewhere in the yard.