On Dec 30, 2018 3:24 PM, "Ceridwen Lloyd" <ceridwen@internode.on.net> wrote: That’s interesting Mike because I’m in zone 9, you’d think similar enough climate conditions, and Romneya for me, shown a little kindness, turned into a thug! I’d put it into our rocky clay which I’d amended with cow poo and pea straw. It got watered briefly on alternate days in summer (automatic system.) it completely took over I ended up having to dig it (and it’s legion of suckers) all out over several years. Next time I’ll put it in the hellish dolomite that borders out driveway. Sent from my iPhone > On 31 Dec 2018, at 05:56, Michael Mace <michaelcmace@gmail.com> wrote: > > Leo wrote: > >>> As followup, the Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) I wrote about in the > fall died within days of being in the 110+ F / 43+C weather, even kept in > the shade and not allowed to go dry. I don't think the Sunset book is > accurate when it says it thrives in All Zones. > > For what it's worth, I live in the proper climate for Romneya and struggle > to get it to grow. I think it's very sensitive to soil and watering times. > > I planted it in my heavy clay soil and treated like a California native (no > water in summer). It died within a year. > > So I planted it in an amended mound with good drainage, and pampered it with > some supplemental water in summer. It died within a year. > > Finally in desperation I planted it on a slope in unamended clay soil, next > to a native buckwheat that I planted at the same time. Both plants were > given very occasional water in the first summer (maybe once a month). The > buckwheat thrived, and the Romneya struggled through the first year. Since > then it's been about three years and I haven't given either of them > supplemental water at all. The buckwheat is very happy, and the Romneya is > still alive. It puts up a couple of shoots a year that get about a foot > (.3m) tall. No flowers yet. I figure if I leave it alone maybe it'll > eventually establish itself and take off (I've had other plants do that). > > So, it can tolerate dryness all summer when in the ground. But getting it to > thrive, rather than just survive, can be tricky. > > I suspect those freeway margins with huge masses of Romneya (some of which > are near my house) are gravelly soil where the plants can establish more > easily. > > Mike > San Jose, CA > (Zone 9, min temp 20F / -7C) > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…