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Malvaceae
Wine Cups
Callirhoe involucrata
Abundance of the prairie.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Callirhoe
- Native to
- Central North America, Great Plains
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- perennial herb
- Height
- 0.5-1 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- dry, sandy, well-drained
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 4-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Wine cups spread across the prairie in sprawling mats up to 3 feet wide, with vivid magenta flowers held above the foliage on long stems, creating a striking show from late spring through summer.
- The deeply tapering taproot can reach 2 feet deep into the soil, giving wine cups exceptional drought tolerance — once established on a dry slope, this plant essentially takes care of itself.
- Genus name Callirhoe honors the Greek water nymph Callirhoe, one of the daughters of the river god Achelous, perhaps referencing the chalice-like shape of the open flowers.
- Wine cups are highly attractive to native bees, particularly bumblebees and mining bees, who visit for both nectar and pollen — the flowers open only in full sun and close at night.
- Native American tribes on the Great Plains used the roots of Callirhoe species as a food source, eating them roasted or raw; the roots reportedly have a pleasant, slightly sweet flavor.
Color meanings
0
abundance
1
joy
2
prairie spirit