About Dendromecon rigida Benth.
Dendromecon rigida Benth. is a small perennial evergreen shrub that rarely grows taller than 3 metres (9.8 ft). Its leaves are alternate, narrow lanceolate, 3–10 cm long, over three times as long as they are broad. The leaf margins are finely toothed, and the leaves have a somewhat leathery texture. Its inflorescences are solitary and terminal. The flowers measure 2–7 cm across, have four satiny yellow petals, and are recorded to bloom from late winter to mid-spring, as well as from April to June. The receptacle is funnel-shaped and surrounds the base of the ovary. Two sepals are shed when the flower opens, and petals are also shed after pollination. There are numerous free stamens. The fruits it produces are cylindric and dehisce from the base, reaching 5–10 cm in length. Its many seeds are smooth, brown or black, and have a small pale outgrowth. This species occurs in Northern California in the foothills of the California Coast Ranges, Klamath Mountains, southwest Cascade Range, and western Sierra Nevada, growing in Montane and Interior chaparral and woodlands and other habitats. It is also found in the foothills of the Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Ranges and other areas of Southern California and the northern Baja California Peninsula, in the same habitat types. Plants grow up to 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) in elevation, colonizing dry slopes and washes, and prefer sites that have recently burned. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant by specialty nurseries, and used in native plant gardens, drought-tolerant gardens, and natural landscaping. This poppy prefers fast-draining soils, but will grow well in clay soil if it receives little to no water after establishment. It tolerates pH levels from 6 to 8, and annual rainfall from 31 to 90 cm, and prefers full sun exposure.
