Winecup
Callirhoe involucrata
Also called: Purple Poppy Mallow
Winecup. Callirhoe involucrata, the winecup or purple poppy mallow, is a low sprawling herbaceous perennial native to the central United States from Texas to the Dakotas. Cup-shaped magenta flowers with white centers bloom from late spring through summer on trailing stems that weave through neighboring plants and over the ground. A deep taproot makes it exceptionally drought-resistant and long-lived once established.
Growing & care
- Sun: full sun for best bloom; tolerates light shade.
- Water: very low. Drought-tolerant from a deep carrot-like taproot.
- Soil: lean, sandy or rocky, sharply drained. Rots in heavy wet clay.
- Hardiness: USDA zones 4–9.
- Spacing: 18–24 inches; the sprawling stems spread 2–3 feet wide.
- Habit: use as a groundcover, in rock gardens, or weaving through taller perennials.
Propagation
Winecup is best started from seed sown in fall — the taproot makes mature plants nearly impossible to transplant or divide. Scarify and cold-stratify seed for better germination. Sow where plants are to grow permanently; established plants resent any root disturbance.
Common problems
The deep taproot makes winecup nearly indestructible once established but means it must be sited permanently from the start — it cannot be moved later. Rots in poorly drained or overwatered soil. Otherwise remarkably trouble-free, deer-resistant, and long-lived. Non-toxic to dogs and cats per ASPCA listings, and a tough, beautiful native groundcover for hot, dry, sunny sites where little else thrives.
Winecup — seeds, tools & books
Native range
Native to 15 states
