Romneya coulteri

Coulter's matilija poppy

Family: Papaveraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Coulter's matilija poppy is a California native shrub found in southern California coastal regions, western Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in dry washes and canyons at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces large, spectacular white flowers with bright yellow centers up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Growing as a robust, spreading shrub 1 to 2 meters tall with multiple woody stems, it creates dramatic visual displays in its native habitats. Its leaves are deeply lobed, grayish-green, and somewhat wrinkled, with a rough texture that helps distinguish this iconic California native. The fruit develops as a capsule approximately 3 to 4 centimeters long, containing dark brown seeds with a distinctive papillate surface.

Habitat: dry washes, canyons

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: SCo, w WTR, PR.

California counties: Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Butte, Alameda, Mariposa, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, El Dorado, Yolo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.