Species · GBIF taxon 2888380
California poppy
Eschscholzia californicaAlso known as Golden Poppy, California Sunlight, Cup of Gold, Mexican Poppy
California poppies blanket open hillsides and roadsides with brilliant washes of orange and gold, opening their cup-shaped petals only on warm, sunny days. These resilient wildflowers thrive in poor, sandy soils, using a deep taproot to survive drought and dry summer heat. After pollination by native bees, the flowers drop their petals and develop slender seed pods that explosively split open to scatter seeds for the next generation.
Drought-TolerantState FlowerSun-Loving
- diet
- Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and soil nutrients)
- family
- Papaveraceae
- threats
- Habitat loss, invasive grasses, and overgrazing
- life Span
- Annual or short-lived perennial (1 to 3 years)
LC
Contains mild alkaloids that are toxic to pets; avoid ingestion and observe from a safe distance.
Contains mild sedative alkaloids that can cause mild toxicity, lethargy, or digestive upset if ingested by pets or humans in quantity.
Do not consume any part of the wild plant, and keep curious pets from chewing on the foliage.- Watch the weather: Visit on warm, sunny afternoons to see the petals fully open and unfurled.
- Leave them growing: Avoid picking the flowers, as they wilt almost immediately after being severed from the stem.
- Check the base: Look for the small, pinkish collar or rim at the base of the flower to confirm identification.