Sun Exposure: Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry
Soil Type: Loam, Sand, Loam-Clay
Height: 6-12 inches
Spread: 2-4 feet
Blooms: June, July, August
Root: Taproot
Habitat: Prairies, Pastures, Open woodlands, Roadsides
Landscape uses: Pollinator gardens, Rock garden, Drought resistant
Complimentary Plants: Junegrass, Slender Mountain Mint, Pearly Everlasting
Wildlife Value: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bees. Host Plant: Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady butterflies.
Seed Origin: Winona, MN (Prairie Moon seed supplier)
Germination Code: C(30)
Photo credits: #1 Yamaplos, #2 by Stan Shebs, #3 by peganum, #4 by peganum
Callirhoe involucrata - Purple Poppy Mallow
Purple Poppy Mallow, also known as Winecups, offers an amazing display of magenta flowers that bloom for a long period in the summer heat. Blooming can be prolonged by dead-heading - with new blooms occuring well into Autumn. This plant has a long central taproot that makes it drought tolerant - but hard to transplant once established, so pick your spot carefully.
Purple Poppy Mallow thrives in full sun and depleted or dry soils. Too much moisture or shade will lead to rot and pest problems. Plant it at the edge of a garden, on top of a rock wall to encourage trailing, or tumbing down a bank. A few plants planted together help to create a mat of foliage for a ground cover.
This plant is a near native- its range extends to Ontario's border.