HUNNEMANNIA – Goldencup
(Giant Yellow-tulip poppy) (Bush-eschscholtzia)
(Named for John Hunnemann, an English botanist)
An aristocrat among the Poppies, the Goldencup, bears a difficult botanical name, Hunnemannia fumariaefolia. The buttercup-yellow flowers are like those of California-poppies except that they are more crinkled, and of greater substance, furthermore, the plants are upright. The leaves are glaucous and thick, but finely cut. The plants grow 2 feet tall and bloom in September and October. In warm regions, it is a perennial.
Uses. Maund, an old English writer, has said that the color suggests more that of a glow-worm than the brightness of the Eschscholtzia. Hunnemannias are handsome garden subjects under any conditions. Sown in a bed with Nigella, they offer a pleasing contrast. The flowers are good keepers when cutting in the bud, lasting a week in the home. Unlike the California-poppies the flowers do not close at night. They are attractive combined with Babysbreath.
GENERAL. As with all the Poppies, Hunnemannia seedlings are bard to transplant except just after germinating and when taken with a ball of soil. It is best to sow the seed in May where the plants are to grow, thinning them to stand 8 to 10 inches apart. If early results are desired, start the plants in small pots and shift them carefully to larger ones when necessary. Some persons have had difficulty getting the seed to grow, but germination can usually be assured by soaking the seek. Plants withstand drought and prefer full sunlight.