FLIMBY: Majestic Matilija poppy is worth a look

That’s a poppy? That taller-than-me plant with the crinkled white flowers?

Yes, indeed it is, and as a bonus this perennial poppy is a California native, attractive to bees and butterflies.

The formal name of this stunner is Coulter’s Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri), but it’s also known as the “fried egg flower.” The topknot of bright yellow stamens against the white is what inspired the nickname.

The Matilija poppy is native to Southern California and Baja; the name is a combination of indigenous and botanical history. Chief Matilija was a (possibly mythical) leader of the Chumash tribe, of the present-day Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and the Channel Islands. Matilija also is the name of a canyon in Los Padres National Forest, near Ojai.

The plant was “discovered” by Irish botanist Thomas Coulter, who honored his friend Dr. Thomas Romney Robinson by latinizing his middle name for the flower’s botanical name.

Interesting fact: The Matilija poppy was a runner-up in the 1890 vote to choose the state flower, losing to the much smaller California poppy. The Mariposa lily was the third choice.

A Matilija poppy takes a few years to become established, preferring a sunny, well-drained location, but it’s not fussy about soil. Once it is established, it is drought-tolerant and requires almost no water over summer — which means it’s an excellent plant for the Sacramento Valley. (My plant exists only on winter/spring rainfall, and is in a location well away from irrigation sources. The root area gets some afternoon shade.)

The poppy spreads via rhizomes but pulling any wayward shoots usually takes care of that. Not quite a “plant it and forget it” part of the landscape, it needs occasional pruning. Given the chance, it can reach 20 feet wide and 7 to 10 feet tall, according to Calscape, but some gardeners report plants 15 feet tall.

It should be cut back in late fall or in winter. After seeing what it did last year and this spring, I’d recommend taking it down to at least 3 feet and even 12 inches tall. This will control the plant size and prevent sky-high blossoms the next year. Older stems can be cut back completely once spring growth begins.

Other Matilija poppy attributes:

— Deer-resistant

— Decent cut flower (cut at the bud stage)

— Scented blossoms that can be as large as 9 inches across

— Good hillside erosion-prevention plant

Tip: The UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery has 19 Coulter’s Matilija poppies in 1-gallon pots on its inventory for the May 2 plant sale. Transplants are the way to go with this plant. Get it in the ground quickly, so it has time to establish some roots before the heat hits. Or move it to a slightly larger container and keep it watered until fall, when it can go in the ground. It’s not generally recommended as a container plant.