Virginia Tech Dendrology

tree poppy Papaveraceae Dendromecon rigida Benth. symbol: DERI
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, lanceolate, 1 to 3 inches long, very finely serrated, gray-green.
Flower: Attractive, 4 yellow petals, 1 to 2 inches across, appearing in spring and early summer.
Fruit: Elongated 2-valve capsule, 2 to 4 inches long, containing numerous small, round, black seeds, ripen in late summer and fall.
Twig: Slender, pale yellow-green to reddish, buds small and pointed.
Bark: Light gray-brown with long shallow fissures, somewhat shreddy.
Form: Upright shrub with an irregular crown, reaches up to 10 feet tall.

Additional Range Information: Dendromecon rigida is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information