CALIFORNIA POPPY; Eschscholzia Californica (West Coast States)
- Appearance: Features finely divided, feathery, blue-green (glaucous) foliage and silky, four-petaled cup-shaped flowers in vibrant shades of orange, yellow, red, or pink.
- Behavior: Flowers open in the sun and close at night, in cloudy or rainy weather, or during chilly conditions.
- Naming: Named by botanist Adelbert von Chamisso in honor of the German-Russian botanist and entomologist Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz.
Cultivation and Care
- Climate: Thrives in warm, dry, and sunny environments.
- Soil: Prefers poor, sandy, or well-drained infertile soils and requires very low amounts of water once established.
- Growth: Grown as an annual or short-lived perennial depending on the climate; it self-seeds very readily. Seeds are best sown directly on the soil surface in the fall.
