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Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
Flaigg, Norman G.

Eschscholzia californica Cham.

California poppy, California gold poppy

Papaveraceae (Poppy Family)

USDA Symbol: ESCA2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Feathery, highly-dissected, blue-green leaves clasp the 1-2 ft. stems of this popular, perennial wildflower. Showy, 1-3 in. wide, four-petaled flowers are open only on sunny days. The flowers are solitary and long-stalked and vary in color from orange to yellow. Each of the satiny petals has a deep-orange spot at its base.

California poppy is often used in wildflower mixes. It is easy to grow, drought tolerant, and reseeds so readily that is can become weedy. In natural conditions, it blooms most heavily from March to May. This bloom period can be extended with supplemental water.

The genus is named after Dr. J.F. Eschscholtz who lived from 1793 to 1831. He performed duties as a surgeon and naturalist with Russian expeditions to the Pacific coast from 1816 to 1964.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf: Green
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AZ , CA , CO , CT , GA , HI , ID , IL , KY , LA , MA , MI , MO , NC , NE , NH , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , SC , TN , TX , UT , WA , WI , WY
Native Distribution: Most of cismontane CA, w. Mojave Desert & coastal OR also WA and NV and N. MX; escaped freely elsewhere. The native range of the E. c. ssp. mexicana includes NM and W. TX.
Native Habitat: Open or disturbed, grassy areas
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), CAN(I)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Nutrient-poor, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: California poppy is often used in wildflower mixes. It is easy to grow, drought tolerant, and reseeds so readily that is can become weedy. In natural conditions, it blooms most heavily from March to May . This bloom period can be extended with supplemental water.

Benefit

Use Food: The Nisenan of California boiled and consumed young spring leaves.
Warning: Can be poisonous if ingested. Sensitivity to a toxin varies with a person’s age, weight, physical condition, and individual susceptibility. Children are most vulnerable because of their curiosity and small size. Toxicity can vary in a plant according to season, the plant’s different parts, and its stage of growth; and plants can absorb toxic substances, such as herbicides, pesticides, and pollutants from the water, air, and soil.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Plant seeds in the fall directly where poppies are desired, since they do not transplant well. Rake in 1/4. Germination is rapid.
Seed Collection: The fruit is a slender capsule.
Seed Treatment: Seeds germinate without pretreatment.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native, non-invasive plant seeds for each region in U.S.
June 09, 2006
I need to identify a wildflower from each region that we can package in custom packaging to use as giveaways at our member zoos and aquariums. Our project this year is called Conservation Made Simple...
view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1988 VOL. 5, NO.3 - Wildflowers in Bloom, Education and Tours, Poppies Brighten Barren Places, Pamel...
Wildflower Newsletter 1991 VOL. 8, NO.3 - Native Plants Provide a Wealth of Foods and Fibers, Letter from the President, A...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Eschscholzia californica in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Eschscholzia californica in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Eschscholzia californica

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-09-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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