05/01/2026
Beautiful!
Matilija Poppy
Commonly called the “Fried Egg Poppy” because it makes huge flowers that are about the size of a sunny side up egg in a skillet.
The Matilija is a perennial that grows naturally in chaparral and coastal scrub habitats in Southern California and Baja California, Mexico. It doesn’t require much water and tolerates many soils. The plant grows to 6’ to 8’ feet tall, spreading by rhizomes.
But it can be both aggressive and finicky! It’s all about location, location, location. Plant a Matilija poppy in the wrong place, and it will be unhappy, wither and die. But if you manage to choose just the right spot, it will settle in nicely—and in later years may colonize your whole garden.
More info: https://ucanr.edu/blog/napa-master-gardener-column/article/getting-know-matilija-poppy
Photo: close up of two backlit Matilija Poppy also known as the Coulter's Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri) with one unopened flower bud