
Click on image for full screen view.
Liberty Hyde Bailey wrote in 1944: "Callirhoes are of easiest culture and deserving of a much greater popularity."
Roots and leaves have been used in cooking, and a decoction of the root has been used to treat internal pain.
| Poppy Mallow
Callirhoe papaver
Malvaceae
Native to the Western United States and northern Mexico, Poppy Mallow grows quickly in summer. Leaves are alternate, palmate, hairy and deeply lobed. Cup-shaped magenta flowers are found throughout the plant but are primarily on terminals. Blooming starts in June and continues until frost. Because it has a long tap root, it only needs water during a lengthy drought.
Plant Type: perennial
Plant Form or Habit: low and trailing
Plant Use: Growing over walls, in raised beds, in rock gardens, in the front of the border.
- Propagation:
- division
stem cuttings
Light Requirement: full sun
- Flower Color:
- violet
pink
- Bloom Period:
- mid-summer
late summer early fall mid-fall late fall
Height: Minimum: 12 inches Maximum: 24 inches
Width: Minimum: 12 inches Maximum: 24 inches
Foliage Texture: medium
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4
Water Requirements: low
Additional Comments: Easy to propagate. Transplant in cool weather. Smaller seedlings transplant more easily because of its long tap root. Stem cuttings or 3-4 inches root quickly and division of deep root stocks will work in spring and fall. This plant is susceptible to slug damage. The name Callirhoe comes from the mythical Callirhoe, daughter of Achelous, the river god.
|