All flowers
Mexican Tulip Poppy Wikimedia Commons
Papaveraceae

Mexican Tulip Poppy

Hunnemannia fumariifolia

Golden cups of highland sunshine.

Family
Papaveraceae
Genus
Hunnemannia
Native to
Mexico
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
perennial grown as annual
Height
30–60 cm
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
sandy, well-drained
Water
low; drought-tolerant
Hardiness
8–10
Lifespan
short-lived perennial; often grown as annual

Did you know

  • It is the only species in its genus — a monotypic genus found nowhere else but the Mexican highlands.
  • The flowers resemble tulips crossed with California poppies, with glowing translucent petals like crepe paper.
  • Unlike most poppies, the cut flowers last well in a vase, earning it the common name 'Mexican golden cup'.
  • The blue-green feathery foliage resembles that of fumitory (Fumaria), reflected in the species name fumariifolia.
  • It thrives in the dry, alkaline soils of Mexican plateaus above 1,500 m elevation.

Color meanings

Yellow

sunshine captured in petals

Uses

  • cut flowers
  • rock gardens
  • dry borders
  • xeriscape gardens