Callirhoe digitata is a delightful North American native perennial, found in open dryland prairies, savannas and limestone glades from Indiana south to Louisiana. The airy, see-through 2-3′ tall willowy, branched, glaucous waxy stems emerge from a palmate-lobed basal rosette, but become virtually leafless as they ascend. Starting in late May (NC) and continuing into early summer, the stems are topped with solitary 2″ wide upright-facing, five-petaled, fringed wine to violet flowers. The flowers are equally loved by both garden designers and honeybees/bumblebees. While Callirhoe digitata is great in plant combinations with bolder textured plants, it has some lingering claustrophobia issues and consequently resents close competition. Because of its long taproot, fringed wine cups does not handle transplanting very well.
