Dendromecon rigida
Encyclopedia
Dendromecon rigida, also called bush poppy or tree poppy, is a shrub or small tree of the Papaveraceae
native to California
and Baja California
.
, rarely exceeding 3 m tall. The leaves
are alternate, narrow lanceolate, 3–10 cm long, more than three times as long as broad. The margin of the leaves is finely toothed. The plant is evergreen and the leaves are somewhat leathery to the touch. The inflorescence
s are solitary and terminal. The flower
s are 2–7 cm diameter, with four satiny yellow petals. Plants bloom in late winter to mid-spring. The receptacle is funnel-shaped and surrounds the ovary
base. Two sepal
s are shed when the flower blooms, and the petal
s are shed as well after pollination. There are many free stamen
s. The fruit
s produced are cylindric and dehiscent from the base; the fruits measure 5–10 cm long. The many seeds are smooth, brown or black, with a small pale outgrowth.
and Sierra Nevada foothills) and northern Baja California. Plants grow on dry slopes and washes, and prefer areas that have just been burned. They occur in these regions up to 1800 m.
This poppy prefers fast draining soils but will grow well in clay soil if there is little to no water after it is established. It has a pH tolerance from 6 to 8 and a rainfall tolerance of 31 to 90 cm. This bush also prefers to be in full sun.
Papaveraceae
Papaveraceae, informally known as the poppy family, are an economically important family of 44 genera and approximately 770 species of flowering plants in the order Ranunculales. The family is cosmopolitan, occurring in temperate and subtropical climates, but almost unknown in the tropics...
native to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
Description
Dendromecon rigida is a small shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
, rarely exceeding 3 m tall. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are alternate, narrow lanceolate, 3–10 cm long, more than three times as long as broad. The margin of the leaves is finely toothed. The plant is evergreen and the leaves are somewhat leathery to the touch. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are solitary and terminal. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are 2–7 cm diameter, with four satiny yellow petals. Plants bloom in late winter to mid-spring. The receptacle is funnel-shaped and surrounds the ovary
Ovary (plants)
In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...
base. Two sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s are shed when the flower blooms, and the petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s are shed as well after pollination. There are many free stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s produced are cylindric and dehiscent from the base; the fruits measure 5–10 cm long. The many seeds are smooth, brown or black, with a small pale outgrowth.
Habitat
Dendromecon rigida occurs on mainland California (Pacific Coast RangesPacific Coast Ranges
The Pacific Coast Ranges and the Pacific Mountain System are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along the West Coast of North America from Alaska south to Northern and Central Mexico...
and Sierra Nevada foothills) and northern Baja California. Plants grow on dry slopes and washes, and prefer areas that have just been burned. They occur in these regions up to 1800 m.
This poppy prefers fast draining soils but will grow well in clay soil if there is little to no water after it is established. It has a pH tolerance from 6 to 8 and a rainfall tolerance of 31 to 90 cm. This bush also prefers to be in full sun.