Description
Form: Herb.
Lifespan: Annual to short-lived perennial. Usually grown as annual.
Growth rate: Rapid.
Mature Size: Normally 8" (21cm) high.
Flowers: Orange-yellow, four petals shaped like a cup, 2" (5cm) wide. The flowers close at night and on cloudy days and reopen the next morning in sunny conditions.
Bloom: Winter into spring. The blooming period for a group of California Poppies may last up to four months.
Fruit: A long, narrow, grooved seed pod.
Leaves: Blue-green, feathery, highly-divided.
Stems: Stiff, upright.
Roots: This plant does not transplant once the seed has sprouted, unless it is grown in a small plug and transplanted with a few days of germination.
Wildlife: The flowers attract bees. The foliage is browsed by mammals.
Toxic / Danger: All parts of this plant are mildly poisonous if ingested.
Origin: Western United States and Mexico.

Cultivation and Uses
USDA hardiness zones: 8-10 when grown as a perennial.
Heat tolerant: Yes.
Drought tolerant: Yes.
Sun: Full sun.
Soil: Well draining, dry, low organic content, not compacted, pH 5.6-8.5 (acidic to alkaline).
Water once established: Monthly. Supplemental water may improve blooming but the soil must dry out between waterings.
Prune: Deadhead flowers to extend bloom.
Litter: Low.
Propagation: Seed planted in the fall out of the reach of quail. This plant self-seeds easily.
Uses: Ornamental.

Comments
This plant, a member of the Poppy family (Papaveraceae), is a highly variable species. It includes the Mexican Poppy as a subspecies — Eschscholzia californica var. mexicana. Other common names are Golden Poppy and California Golden Poppy. This is the state flower of California. While it freely reseeds, and can cover an entire hillside in a few years in a favorable climate, it can be pushed out by more invasive species such as mustard.
This plant is not closely related to the poppies that produce seeds used for cooking.

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