The Cheerful California Poppy

By Martina Trotta
Conservation Analyst, Santa Margarita Water District

Fall is the best time to plant California native plants, and that means it’s already time to start thinking about what you want growing in your garden next spring. Now, as you’re thinking about that, consider starting your California-native, drought-tolerant garden with a flower that couldn’t be more Californian: the California poppy. With its silky, golden petals and drought-resistant nature, this California-native species has justified its designation as the Golden State’s official flower.

While the California poppy is a perennial flower, it can also be grown as an annual. It blooms from spring to summer and reseeds freely in mild climates like we enjoy in southern Orange County.

The poppy’s four-petaled, upward-facing blooms span the golden range of colors, from a pale yellow to a deep orange, and sit atop slender, light blue-green stems with delicately divided leaves that branch freely from the plant’s base. The blooms are about 2 inches wide, while the stems can range in height from 8 to 24 inches.

Although the California poppy’s beauty is unrivaled it is when blossoming in meadows, it is not an ideal flower for indoors or close-range viewing. This is because the entire plant turns a straw color when the plant begins to seed, which typically occurs after the first bloom. However, when featured along drives, open hillsides or gardens, it can add a colorful, low maintenance and water-sipping feature to your home and garden. If you opt to showcase it close up, be prepared to trim off dead flowers regularly.

The upcoming autumn months are the best time to plant California poppies in Orange County. Seedlings don’t transplant well, so plan to sow the flower from seeds. Disperse the seeds on poor, sandy, well-drained soil that has been spaded or raked; if rain is absent, water enough to keep ground moist until seeds germinate, which takes 15 to 30 days.

Once the plant matures, the drought-tolerant plants need minimal water. Poppies need room to grow, so be sure to harvest the seedpods after the first bloom and cut back the dead flowers.

For a complete database of California-friendly plants, log onto www.bewaterwise.com.

Do you have a plant that you would like featured as the California-friendly Plant of the Week? If so, please send ideas to California_friendly@smwd.com.

California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Season: Spring
Size: 6 inches wide and 1-2 feet tall
Color: Gold
Water: Little to regular
Sun: Half

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