ThunderLandscape Plant Database

Slideshow of plant photos
(includes visitor submitted photos)

Eschscholzia californica

The bright yellow-orange flowers and finely divided gray-green foliage of the California poppy look best when planted in large drifts, although it grows well even in crevices of rockeries. Flowers appear in spring and last throughout the summer.

Sow seeds in fall or early spring directly in the garden as it is not easy to transplant. Water regularly to establish, and only an occasional deep watering is required thereafter. Plants are drought-tolerant and overwatering will cause the roots to rot. Fertilizing is usually not necessary and overferitlizing will cause an abundance of foliage with no flowers.

Eschscholzia californica is the state flower of California. The name Eschscholzia is named after the Russian botanist J. F. Eschscholtz, who visited the California coast in the early 1800s.

Zones 9 - 11, annual elsewhere