Romneya

These lovely perennials are natives of California and Mexico and belong to the Poppy family, Papaveraceae. There are only two varieties of Romneya. One is R. Coulteri, the Matilija Poppy, and the other is R. trichocalyx; they are sometimes known as Tree Poppies. The latter differs very slightly from the first. The Matilija Poppy grows from 5 to 6 feet tall and has deeply divided, blue gray leaves. Large, white, fragrant flowers are produced in the summer; the petals resemble crL pe paper and they surround a tuft of golden stamens. R. trichocalyx usually blooms a little more than R. Coulteri.

Pot Cultivation

Romneyas should be planted in sandy, well-drained soil in a sunny position. Regular garden soil should be enhanced by mixing in leaf mold and decayed manure. If your soil is heavy clay, dig a hole 2 feet wide and long and 2 feet deep. Place broken bricks or stones in the bottom for drainage and fill the rest of the space with good topsoil in which leaf mold, thoroughly decayed manure and sand has been incorporated. These additions are necessary, for Romneya won't thrive in heavy soil. In gardens, the stems may be cut down in the winter. New shoots will grow the following spring. In climates with mild winters, Romneya doesn't die down. If stems are killed by frost, they should be cut down in the spring, or only the parts that were killed. In regions with harsh winters, the roots should be protected by covering with a dry mulch just before cold weather begins.

Propagation

Romneya may be increased by basal cuttings in early spring, by seeds in the fall, or, the simplest, by root cuttings in the winter. Pieces of root, 3 or 4 inches long are cut off, laid horizontally and covered 2 -inch deep. Keep the roots in a closed frame or in a slightly heated greenhouse and the soil moist. When they've formed a sufficient amount of roots, pot individually in 5-inch pots and grow in a cold frame until they're large enough to be placed outdoors. Seeds can be sown in a container of sifted sandy, loamy soil and placed in a slightly heated greenhouse. Keep the soil moist and shaded until they sprout. Eventually, they'll need to be potted separately.

R. Coulteri

VARIETIES

• R. Coulteri;
• R. trichocalyx.