Winecups

Sun

Full sun; flowering is poorer and stems looser in shade.

Water

Low once established. Water regularly during establishment, then during prolonged dry spells if you want continued flowering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates poor soil and some clay if drainage is good. Avoid sites that stay wet in winter.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1.5-3 ft (0.45-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late spring through summer, sometimes into autumn with sufficient moisture; magenta to purple-pink cups with a pale centre. Flowers close at night.

Foliage

Green, rounded leaves deeply divided into finger-like lobes, carried on trailing, lightly hairy stems.

Growth

Moderate to fast during the growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant young specimens in their permanent position; the deep taproot makes established plants difficult to move.
• Water deeply during the first growing season, letting the surface soil dry between waterings.
• Once established, water only during extended drought; avoid frequent shallow watering.
• Do not routinely feed; rich soil and heavy feeding encourage floppy growth.
• Keep the crown clear of thick organic mulch; a light gravel mulch suits dry sites.

Pruning. After the main flush of flowers, shorten untidy stems lightly to encourage fresh growth and possible repeat bloom. Remove dead stems in late winter or early spring before new shoots develop.

Early spring

Remove dead stems and check that the crown has not become buried under wet mulch.

Spring

Plant young plants once the soil is workable, allowing room for trailing stems.

Late spring

Weed around developing shoots before the foliage spreads.

Summer

Water newly planted specimens deeply during dry weather; lightly trim sprawling stems after flowering.

Late summer

Collect dry, mature seed if you want to raise more plants.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown and correct any drainage problems before winter.

• Let stems trail over a low retaining wall or the edge of a raised bed.
• Plant among gravel and rocks for bright summer colour without a dense, bulky canopy.
• Weave through prairie-style planting beneath upright grasses and flowering perennials.
• Use along the sunny front of a border, where its spreading stems can soften the edge.

Garden styles it suits: Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Native meadow, Pollinator garden, Midwest prairie and Texas Hill Country.

Plant it with: Little bluestem, Prairie dropseed, Butterfly weed, Lanceleaf coreopsis, Purple coneflower and Russian sage.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen for bees, including native bees. Deer and rabbits often leave established plants alone, although browsing is still possible.

• Root or crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move young plants to a raised position; avoid winter waterlogging.
• Slugs and snails eating young shoots: inspect during damp evenings and use wildlife-conscious controls where needed.
• Rust causing spotted leaves and orange-brown pustules: remove affected foliage, improve airflow and avoid wetting leaves when watering.
• Sparse flowering and floppy stems: provide full sun and stop unnecessary feeding.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular poisonous part is recognised, but species-specific safety information is limited; do not treat it as an edible plant.

• Bush's poppy mallow (Callirhoe bushii)

  Has similar magenta flowers but a more upright, taller habit rather than the low, trailing mat of winecups.

• White poppy mallow (Callirhoe alcaeoides)

  Usually has white to pale pink flowers and more upright stems, rather than strongly magenta flowers on sprawling stems.

The common name winecups refers to the wine-coloured flowers and their cup-like shape.

Propagation. Grow from seed; the hard seed coat benefits from careful scarification, and a period of cold, moist conditions can improve germination. Autumn sowing outdoors is an option where winters are cold. Avoid dividing established plants because of their deep taproots.

Accepted botanical name

Callirhoe involucrata

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Mexico Northeast, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.