Chaparral Matilija poppies and lilacs won't sprout until they are triggered by wood ash from fire.

Read and watch how the chaparral is fire-adapted. 

Scroll down to view the optional Matillija Poppy Fire Treatment lab.

Plants of the chaparral are adapted to fire in several ways:

Bark

The bark of oak trees are fire retardant, allowing the tree to remain alive inside despite leaves and outer bark being burned. Quercus is the Latin Genus of oak trees, and we get the word "cork" from the Mediterranean oak bark of the Quercus tree that produces it. 

Seeds

Bristly Matilija Poppy Romneya trichocalyx needs fire ash to sprout its seeds. Big Pod Ceanothus Ceanothus megacarpus seeds remain dormant underground for hundreds of years until heat melts the wax capsule and cracks the thick seed coat so the seeds can germinate. California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum is a pioneer species after fire, sprouting seeds and growing from root burls to reestablish life.

Roots

Roots of Toyon and other plants regrow new plants after they have been burned to the ground. The re-grow from specialized large underground swellings or root burls that store energy.