Know Before You Go: Information and helpful hints for your next visit
The Morton Arboretum Get tickets
Browse Trees and Plants

Purple poppy-mallow

Callirhoe involucrata

Common names:
poppy-mallow, poppy mallow, wine cups, finger poppy mallow

Content Detail

Purple poppy-mallow is a perennial wildflower which has beautiful cup-shaped magenta flowers that last much of the summer and attractive, deeply lobed leaves. The trailing stems make this plant useful in rock gardens or trailing over a wall.

  • Family (English) Mallow
  • Family (botanic) Malvaceae
  • Tree or plant type Perennial
  • Native locale North America
  • Size range Small plant (6-12 inches)
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
  • Soil preference Dry soil
  • Tolerances Dry sites, Occasional drought
  • Season of interest early summer, midsummer, late summer
  • Flower color and fragrance Pink
  • Shape or form Vining
  • Growth rate Moderate

Size: 

Because of its vine-like habit, purple poppy-mallow tends to creep along the ground, making it about 6 to 12 inches high and up to 3 feet wide.

Native geographic location and habitat: 

Native to the western United States and northern Mexico.

Attracts birds or pollinators:

Bees are attracted to the bright flowers.

Leaf description: 

Alternate leaves are deeply lobed with stiff, bristly hairs. Individual leaves are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.

Flower description: 

The deep magenta flowers are cup-shaped and stand individually on single stems. Often the center of the flower is paler or white.

Fruit description:

The small, non-ornamental fruits (schizocarps) split into separate one-seeded segments at maturity.

Plant care:

Purple poppy-mallow prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It does poorly in wet conditions. Cut plants back if they get leggy. This plant is easy to grow from seed, but divides poorly because of its long taproot.

Photo Gallery (3)

Slider controls

Slider

Slider

1

Donate

Your support is vital to the Arboretum, where the power of trees makes a positive impact on people’s lives.

Make a gift