THING:Matilija Poppy

Behold the glorious Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri), also known as the Fried Egg flower! The flowers pop with bright white, crinkled petals and dazzling, sunny yellow stamens! And they are really big - like the size of your hand! The leaves are a beautiful grey green in contrast. They are show stoppers!

Look for these California natives in dry canyons with their chaparral and coastal sage communities live. They are considered “fire followers” because they frequently establish in recently burned areas.

Fun Fact: It was nominated for the honor of California state flower in 1890, but the California poppy won the title in a landslide.

Did you know? Named after the Irish astronomer John Thomas Romney Robinson. The common name may owe its derivation to a Chief Matilija who lived in Ventura County.

If you are interested in purchasing California native plants we recommend Hardy Californians Nursery! HERE

A great resource for looking up CA native plants is calscape.org website :)