Approximately 50 species of poppy plant have developed worldwide, and those plants native to dry areas -- California or Central Asia, for example -- tend to be drought resistant. Poppies generally flourish in warm climates and sites where they can receive full sun while rooted in well-drained soil. If you live in an arid area, or are trying to conserve water used in the garden, you have a wide choice of poppy species, textures and colors.
California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) produce orange and yellow flowers. These poppies are extremely tolerant of drought conditions and thrive in well-drained sandy soil and arid regions. In southwestern and western U.S. states, California poppies commonly grow wild in meadows and along the edges of roads. The drought-resistant Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana) looks like a thistle until its large, yellow flowers bloom. This poppy, also known as Mexican thistle or goatweed, can thrive in extreme heat.
The Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) bears large white flowers between May and July. Each stem of this shrublike plant can support five to eight poppy blooms, which have crinkly petals. These huge plants are California natives and can grow up to 8 feet tall, preferring dry areas such as canyons or dry washes. Drought resistant and hardy, Matilija poppies require little care to flourish. The California poppy is also available in white-flowering varieties, such as 'White Linen'.
Certain drought-tolerant shrubs produce poppylike flowers. The tree poppy (Dendromecon rigida) thrives in dry conditions, preferring well-drained soil and partial to full sun exposure. Between February and June, the shrub produces yellow poppylike flowers over gray foliage. The tree poppy can grow to between 3 and 10 feet high, with a width of between 4 and 8 feet. The island bush poppy (Dendromecon harfordii) has bright yellow flowers over gray foliage. This bushy shrub can grow up to 15 feet high and 12 feet wide. Shrub poppies tend to have wild and untidy growth patterns; you can prune a tree poppy into shape after its annual flowering season.
Species That Die Back in Drought
Some poppy species respond to drought by dying back and entering a dormant phase. Dieback poppies have a short blooming period before the heat and drought of full summer arrives. During the hottest and driest part of the year, the plants become dried out and brown, essentially hibernating through the heat and drought. Oriental poppies die back as a way of coping with drought -- in May and June these plants produce pink, white, orange or red flowers before shutting down to survive the drought. Oriental poppies are hardy and require little care in the garden.
Your Planting Articles
- Calflora.net: Matilija Poppy
- University of Florida: Mexican Prickly Poppy: Biology and Control
- University of Illinois Extension: Oriental Poppies
- Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: California Poppy
- Las Virgenes Municipal Water District: A California-Friendly Guide to Native and Drought Tolerant Gardens
- Sunshine Gardens Inc: My California Poppies
- Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images