About California Poppies

The California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica, graces many a sun-drenched meadow throughout California and the Southwest with its brilliant orange, saucer-shaped flowers. On bright days, the poppy's silky petals open to greet the sun. At dusk, the golden blooms close into tightly fluted repose. Eschscholzia californica, was first described to the scientific community in the early 19th Century by a German naturalist, Adelbert von Chamisso. Since then, the flower has gained admirers the world-over, becoming the State Flower of California in 1890, and winning the hearts of gardeners everywhere with its welcoming beauty and the ease with which it grows.

Always friendly and neat in appearance ­ a popular flower to press ­ the California Poppy features a compact, upright form, lifting its famous orange blooms 12 to 18 inches above a finely cut bed of lacy, bluish-green foliage. In milder climates that resemble its native California, the poppy is a perennial, blooming throughout the spring and summer, reseeding itself freely and generously. In colder regions, poppies must be reseeded by hand each spring in preparation for their summer colorburst. A swath of California Poppies brings a vivacious splash of color to virtually any open, sunny area, and they are as fun to grow as they are lovely!

There's enough seed here to plant an entire meadow full of poppies — ­ almost 30,000 seeds in all! Scattered in an informal, wildflower planting, this seed will cover about 1,400 square feet, or an area roughly 38' x 38'. Approximately 70% of these seeds will germinate.