California poppy is a perennial or annual plant growing to 5–12 in (13–30 cm) tall with alternately branching glaucous blue-green foliage. The leaves are alternately divided into round, lobed segments. The flowers are … See more

In the late 1700s, Spanish settlers affectionately called the poppy "copa de oro" (gold cup). By 1816, Russian explorers officially named the flower Eschscholzia … See more

E. californica is drought-tolerant, self-seeding, and easy to cultivate. It is best grown as an annual, in full sun, and well-draining sandy or See more

• Botanical illustration
• Seeds
• Maritime poppies, E. californica subsp. californica var. … See more

As poppies are not wind-pollinated, their pollen poses no allergy risk via inhalation.
A UK study of meadow flowers including commercial mixes … See more

California poppy leaves are used as food or garnish, while the seeds are used in cooking. There are no clinical trials showing it can effectively treat psychiatric disorders in humans. See more

During the 1890s Sarah Plummer Lemmon advocated for the adoption of the golden poppy as the state flower of California, eventually writing the bill passed by the California Legislature and signed by Governor George Pardee in 1903. In this era, the state … See more