California poppy is pollinator-friendly and unabashedly cheerful
California poppies bloom much of the year, but really put on a show in spring, so plant seeds now. Kathy Morrison
This is another installment in our weekly series Flowers in My Back Yard, devoted to blooming plants.
California poppies grow so well here and spread so easily that it might be tempting to call them a weed. But we don't, because they are cheerful, pollinators love them, and because they are the state flower, after all.
This orange-yellow poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is probably the first flower California children learn to recognize. The flowers pop up everywhere: along highways, in sidewalk cracks and between perennials. Drifts of them in native plant beds invariably make passers-by smile.
Fall is the perfect time to plant seeds for California poppies. Scatter the tiny seeds (mixed with sand if you like) in a sunny spot with average soil (though they will do fine in clay). Don't cover them with soil or mulch; let the rain do the work of germinating them.
When the tiny blue-green seedlings appear, the gardener can see how thickly they are growing, and do some judicious pruning. Alternatively, keep them densely planted as a weed preventive.
The plants put down a significant taproot, which is why transplants are not recommended. Above ground they measure about 1 foot tall and wide at full growth. Poppies are considered an annual but in mild winter areas can survive to bloom the next year. Once established, they need minimal water unless the weather is prolonged hot and dry.
By the way, it's a mistaken notion that it's illegal to pick any California poppies. It is silly to do so -- they're wildflowers and drop their petals immediately -- but not against state law on your own property.
The poppy has been an official state symbol since March 3, 1903, evoking the Golden State and the California Gold Rush. The runners-up for the honor were the Matilija poppy and the Mariposa lily.
Flowers will bloom on poppy plants as early as February, peak in spring, and continue through summer; you may even get some in mild autumns. Flowers close after sundown or on cloudy days; when they warm up and open they attract all manner and size of bees and other small pollinators.
The seeds are easy to save, but the slim seed pods burst open easily when ripe. It's more efficient to clip the pods just as they start to turn brown, place them in a paper bag or large open jar to finish drying, and let them explode there, saving you the trouble.
California Poppy Day is April 6, conveniently when these beloved flowers usually are looking their best.
More poppy facts:
-- It was the first identified member of the Eschscholzia genus, in 1816, identified by German botanist Adelbert von Chamisso.
-- Chamisso was on an exploratory voyage to California and the Pacific Northwest and named the genus after a fellow botanist, Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, who accompanied him on the journey. (But he forgot to include the "t" from his friend's name in the genus name.)
-- California poppies are not related to carrots, although the lacy foliage and long orange taproot might suggest that.
-- The flowers can be grown on slopes for erosion control and in burned areas for quick color and morale boost. The Great Altadena Poppy Project was initiated by René Amy, who lost his home in the 2025 Eaton Fire, to plant hope and visibility in the burn scars of the Los Angeles area. More than 250 million poppy seeds were sown across 700 residential properties. The flowers in turn inspired the Great Altadena Poppy Festival this past April to bring visitors and recovery money into the affected area.
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
Oct. 6: Hummingbirds love California fuchsia
Sept. 29: Pineapple sage is a fall bright spot
Sepr. 22: Ginger can flourish in Sacramento
Sept. 15: Plant seeds soon for fragrant spring blooms (sweet peas)
Sept. 8: A must for fall gardens, asters are little powerhouses
Sept. 1: Yarrow an easy-care, sturdy flowering plant
Aug. 25: Crape myrtles, Sacramento's unofficial tree of summer
Aug. 18: Pollinators adore scabiosa, aka pincushion flower
Aug. 11: Hardy hibiscus adds big tropical impact
Aug. 4: Dianthus a deceptively hardy flower
July 28: Naked Ladies put on summer show
July 21: Thank Luther Burbank for these long-lasting beauties (Shasta daisies)
July 14: How to keep hydrangeas happy
July 7: Grow these bright cosmos for bees and butterflies
June 30: Agapanthus adds blue fireworks to the garden
June 23: Easy-care gazanias fill those hot corners
June 16: Daylilies are perfect for water-wise gardens (and a lot more)
June 9: Grow coneflowers for pollinators -- and yourself
June 2: Sunflowers capture Sacramento's summer attitude
May 29: Are your roses going 'blind'?
May 26: Zinnias are the summer flowers every garden needs
May 19: Plant dahlias now for late-summer flower power
May 12: Know your coreopsis from your bidens
May 5: Mums the word on Mother's Day weekend
April 28: Majestic Matilija poppy is worth a look
April 21: Celebrate roses, America's favorite flower
April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
March 17: The perfect flower for beginners? Try zonal geraniums
March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
Feb. 24: Treasure spring daffodils now and for years to come
Feb. 17: How and why to grow wildflowers
Feb. 10: Let's talk Valentine's Day roses
Feb. 3: Why grow flowers?
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Garden checklist for week of Oct. 4
* October is the best month to plant perennials in our area. Add a little well-aged compost and bone meal to the planting hole, but hold off on other fertilizers until spring. Keep the transplants well-watered (but not wet) for the first month as they become settled.
* Now is the time to plant seeds for many flowers directly into the garden, including cornflower, nasturtium, nigella, poppy, portulaca, sweet pea and stock.
* Plant seeds for radishes, bok choy, mustard, spinach and peas. Plant garlic and onions.
* Set out cool-weather bedding plants, including calendula, pansy, snapdragon, primrose and viola.
* Reseed and feed the lawn. Work on bare spots.
* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioli, dahlias and tuberous begonias after the foliage dies. Clean and store in a cool, dry place.
* Treat azaleas, gardenias and camellias with chelated iron if leaves are yellowing between the veins.
* Clean up the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.
* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash.
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Add asparagus to your edible garden
Soggy soil and what to do about it
Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
We don't talk (enough) about beets
Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Enhance your food with edible flowers
Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
How to grow summer salad greens
Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
Help pollinators help your garden
Battling early-season tomato pests
Where are the bees when you need them?
How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
Grow culinary herbs in containers
When to plant summer vegetables
Don't be fooled by these garden myths
Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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