Limnanthes douglasii (Poached Egg Plant)
Poached Egg Flower, Meadow Foam, Meadowfoam, Poached Egg Plant
Fast-growing, Limnanthes douglasii (Poached Egg Plant) is a spreading bushy annual forming a cheerful carpet of yellow and white flowers throughout the summer. The broadly cup-shaped yellow flowers, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), are adorned with white petal tips, hence the name 'poached egg plant'. Insect magnets, they attract hoverflies to the garden to beat the aphids and are loved by bees. They bloom on slender stalks in the upper leaf axils above the fern-like foliage of glossy yellow-green leaves. Easy to grow, plant Limnanthes douglasii at the front of cottage beds, along path edges, or in the mixed border where it will make an attractive contrast to dark-leaved shrubs.
- Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
- Grows up to 6-12 in. tall and wide (15-30 cm). This plant self-seeds quite happily.
- Performs best in full sun in any moist, well-drained soil.
- Great for beds and borders, city gardens, cottage gardens, prairie gardens, or containers.
- Virtually pest and disease free, this plant is low maintenance.
- Add this charming and graceful plant to the landscape, and you will be rewarded with abundant happy butterflies, bees, and pollinating insects!
- Cut back after flowering.
- Propagate by seed sown in situ in spring or autumn, protect autumn sowings from frost.
- Native to California and Oregon.
Buy Limnanthes douglasii (Poached Egg Plant)
Requirements
Hardiness | 2
– 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 1
– 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Annuals |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Early,Mid,Late) |
Height | 6" – 1' (15cm – 30cm) |
Spread | 6" – 1' (15cm – 30cm) |
Spacing | 12" (30cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy |
Native Plants | United States, California, Pacific Northwest, Oregon |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Edging, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
By Martin Fowler, Shutterstock
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Requirements
Hardiness | 2
– 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 1
– 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Annuals |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Early,Mid,Late) |
Height | 6" – 1' (15cm – 30cm) |
Spread | 6" – 1' (15cm – 30cm) |
Spacing | 12" (30cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy |
Native Plants | United States, California, Pacific Northwest, Oregon |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Edging, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |