How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Callirhoe Involucrata
Callirhoe involucrata, or purple poppy mallow, is a beautiful low-growing ground cover that's extremely easy to care for in your garden. It is a tough evergreen that is also drought-tolerant. Kevin Espiritu will take you through the steps to growing this native wildflower.
Contents
Tough, drought tolerant and evergreen, Callirhoe involucrata or the purple poppy mallow is known for its beautiful extra bright magenta flowers that look like tiny wine cups. This is the reason why it is also called “wine cups” colloquially. You’ll find them growing in native gardens and rock gardens all over the US.
This mat-forming wildflower is found abundantly in North America and is native to southwest and central United States, especially Missouri, where it most frequently grows in dry, rocky soils in fields, prairies, and along roadsides that are dispersed in a number of counties located on the northeast side of the Missouri River.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about growing and caring for Callirhoe involucrata.
Plant Overview
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Plant
Perennial wildflower
Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Callirhoe
Species
Callirhoe involucrata
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Native
Central USA
Exposure
Full sun
Height
8-12″
Watering Requirements
Low
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Pests & Diseases
Slugs and root rot
Maintenance
Low
Soil Type
Well-draining, sandy and loamy
Hardiness Zone
4-8
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What is Callirhoe Involucrata?
The buffalo rose is popular for the masses of pink or reddish-purple cup-shaped blooms with a white spot in the middle, which gives them the name wine cups. The showy flowers are borne at the tips of the stem. They open in the morning and close in the evening.
Native Area
Callirhoe involucrata is native to the central United States, particularly thriving in the Great Plains and parts of the South-Central US, including states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. It typically grows in prairies, open woodlands, and rocky slopes. Adapted to dry, sandy, or even gravelly conditions, this low-growing perennial is well-suited to regions with hot summers and periodic drought.
Characteristics
The flower sprawls with low-growing foliage topped with bright purple cup-shaped flowers that bloom in mid-spring through fall. It works just as beautifully in a formal garden as it does in naturalized areas or spreading over walls – especially thanks to its white center. It’s a wonderful ground cover that grows up to six to twelve inches tall and spreads about three inches wide.
It forms a low foliage mound producing several prominent central column vine-like stems that are up to four inches long. The angular stems are colored light green to dull purple and covered with tiny white hairs. The alternate leaves are more or less orbicular in shape, palmate and consist of five main lobes.
Bloom time starts in early spring and peaks in early summer. Individual flowers grow from the axils of the leaves. The flowers consist of five deep magenta petals and a whitish green calyx. When they’re mature, they expand outwardly with their numerous stamens and pink style branches. Each carpel consists of a single seed, and it spreads by reseeding itself.
Wine cups work really well in wildflower meadows, xeriscape gardens, rock gardens, and as a ground covers. They can also thrive as a lovely ground cover, or in containers and hanging baskets.
Planting
To plant Callirhoe involucrata choose a sunny location with well-drained soil, as this drought-tolerant perennial prefers dry, sandy, or rocky conditions. Begin by loosening the soil to improve drainage and avoid overly rich or moist soils, which can cause root rot.
If planting from seed, sow them in the fall or early spring; scarifying the seeds (lightly scratching the seed coat) can improve germination. For transplants, dig a hole just large enough for the root ball and set at the same depth it was growing in the container. Water lightly after planting to help establish the roots, but be careful not to overwater.
How to Grow
The purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) is hardy and easy to care for. They are ideal to grow in hot and dry locations. Here’s what you need to know about their growing conditions and requirements.
Light
The purple poppy mallow is native to hot climates and loves full sun. Therefore, it’s best to grow in a garden with bright sunlight. The more sun you provide, the better it will flower. It grows best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4-8.
Water
Buffalo roses are drought-tolerant and prefer dry soil, so they have very low to average water needs. Keep watering regularly but sparingly during the first growing season to promote root establishment. Once roots are properly established, infrequent but deep watering works best. Overwatering can cause crown rot on these drought-tolerant species. Most of the time, you won’t have to provide more beyond the rain that falls in spring and summer.
Soil
Wine cups grow best in moderately moist to dry soil that is well-drained. Poorly draining soil can lead to crown rot, as these drought-tolerant plants are not suited to water retention. Therefore, well-drained soils such as sandy, rocky, gravely, and loamy soils are ideal for this plant. The preferred pH range is mildly acidic from pH 6 to 6.5.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for these plants is 50-80°F (10-27°C). However, they’ll bloom in hard afternoon sun and harsh summers. Because they readily self-seed, there’s no need to fret when they die back in winter. They’ll return the following spring.
Fertilizing
Callirhoe involucrata is a light feeder. If the soil is especially poor, you can scratch in about an inch of blended compost prior to planting. After that, you can top dress with light fertilizer during springtime. Do not fertilize. Because they’re native meadow types, they won’t perform as well if you do.
Maintenance
There is no need to prune Callirhoe involucrata, as they are relatively prolific and short-lived. However, as with most plants, it’s best to remove any diseased or dead foliage as it crops up.
Propagating
It can be propagated through seeds or by division. With seeds, direct sow outdoors in fall, allowing the cold of winter to provide stratification for the seeds. If you’re looking to grow it in your garden, cold stratify your seeds in sand in a plastic bag. Place them in a refrigerator for two to three months before sowing in flats. Germination usually takes place within one to six months at 59°F (15°C). Once they have produced about eight inches of growth, you can put the pots outside in spring.
Division is best done in early summer with small and young plants as Callirhoe involucrata resents root disturbance. The root system makes the division of established mallows difficult. Ensure you’ve dug an adequate amount away from the root mass to avoid transplant shock. Then, carefully transfer your divided plants into their new location.
Common Problems
Callirhoe involucrata is more or less problem-free, but here’s what you should know about potential growing issues.
Growing Problems
Make sure that the soil in which they’re growing is well-drained. Poorly drained soils and overwatering can lead to diseases like root and crown rot. If your plants don’t bloom in the first year, check to ensure conditions are appropriate for growing them. If they are, you may see blooms next year instead.
Pests
There are no known issues with pests. Sometimes, it can suffer from a slug attack. To get rid of them, you should keep the soil and surroundings dry. Beer traps or slug bait can kill them if they become a serious issue. Hand-pick them at dusk when they come out, if necessary. However, slug damage rarely gets worse than a few munched leaves, so you may not need to treat them at all.
Diseases
High humidity or wet soil can lead to fungal infections of root rot and crown rot in some cases. Like most of the issues that crop up with wine cups, these hardy types can handle small infections. Those that completely rot roots and crowns require the removal and disposal. Avoid planting in an area where the fungal pathogen that causes root rot has previously thrived. Solarize infected soils if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are purple poppy mallow safe for dogs?
Although these plants do not appear on the toxic list, precaution must be taken if you have a free roaming dog in your garden.
Are purple poppy mallow rabbit resistant?
Rabbits are quite fond of the leaves, so they can do some damage. It’s best to protect the purple poppy mallow from rabbits at least until they are well-established. They are also deer-resistant. In wild gardens, they might get munched on slightly.
Is callirhoe invasive?
While it does spread widely over a few years time, it’s not invasive. It’s native, in fact.
Where is callirhoe Involucrata native to?
It grows naturally as a native ground cover in the Central US, and parts of the eastern US.
Is the purple poppy mallow annual or a perennial?
It’s a perennial that returns in spring from its roots. It also self-seeds readily.
Is callirhoe Involucrata edible?
Its leaves and roots are edible and are sometimes incorporated into soups.
When should I plant my wine cup?
Give them a spot with full sun, well-draining soil, and minimal irrigation and you’re set.
What can I grow with purple poppy mallow?
Grow it with other natives or wildflower seeds, like phlox, tickseed, and catmint. Choose other spreading or mounding native grasses to be neighbors as they are hardy enough to handle the spreading power of wine cups.
