Callirhoe involucrata (Purple Poppy Mallow)

Resembling wine cups, Callirhoe involucrata (Purple Poppy Mallow) decorates cheerfully the landscape in late spring and early summer with its masses of brilliant magenta cup-shaped flowers atop ground-hugging stems. The eye-catching, upward-facing blossoms, up to 2.5 in. wide (6 cm) open in the morning, close in the evening and remain closed after pollination. Poppy-like, they consist of 5 petals with a white spot at their base surrounding a prominent central column of stamens. Evergreen in mild climates, the unique and striking foliage of deeply lobed, palmately divided (hand-shaped), green leaves adds some winter interest to the border. Mat-forming, this native prairie plant is an attractive, spreading, drought-tolerant perennial.

• Grows in low foliage mounds up to 6-12 in. tall (15-30 cm) with stems that sprawl along the ground up to 3 ft. (90 cm). 
• Thrives in full sun in dry to medium, well-drained soils. Good drainage is essential to survival. Tolerates poor infertile soils and dry rocky soils. If conditions are too wet, it may suffer from rust. 
• Drought tolerant and attractive to hummingbirds or butterflies!
• Very hardy and easy to grow, Callirhoe involucrata is a good choice for areas of the garden that are hot and dry.
• No serious insect or disease issues. 
• Excellent addition as a bedding plant alone or mixed in a grassy area. Great for border fronts, rock gardens, prairies or naturalized areas, it makes a lovely ground cover. Let it trail over a stone wall too!
• Anchored by a substantial taproot makes transplanting of established plants difficult. May self-seed in satisfactory growing conditions.
• Native to the Central United States and parts of the Eastern and Southwestern United States.