| Could you please send any info you might have regarding the Texas perennial Poppy Mallow-Wine Cups. Specifically, any germination tips and ongoing care. Please note my area of the country. |
| Callirhoe involucrata (also called Poppy Mallow, Wine Cups and Buffalo Rose)is related to hollyhocks (alcea) and mallows (malva). Unlike those plants, however, it can be difficult to germinate. Reading the instructions, it seems to me the goal is to reproduce a cool moist spring period as one would experience in many areas of Texas, with growing conditions during the summer being hot and dry. According to the Jelitto seed catalog instructions, it requires a soil with a pH of 5.8 to 7.2 and low fertility and a well drained, sunny location in the garden. Seed should be planted November to March and germinates over a long period. A chilling period may be helpful, and the soil must be kept evenly moist during the germination process. Once germinated, the plants take only 4 to 8 weeks to reach transplant size. The plants are hardy from zones 4 through 8. |
