California Poppy
The California Poppy is the state flower of California. This brightly colored flower is native to a region stretching from Northern Mexico, through California, up to southern Washington, and east to Nevada and New Mexico. When the Spanish colonists saw the hills of what would become California covered with blooming poppies, they called the region “The Land of Fire”. The flower petals open each day when the sunlight hits them and close as night falls. If it is cloudy, the flower will stay closed to protect the pollen from potential rain.
Caring for your California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
- Plant seeds in full sun, 8-10″ apart
- Plant seeds 1/4″ deep in loosened soil OR a large pot & use fingers to press soil down
- Water gently; do not flood
- Seeds should sprout in 14-21 days
- Plants will grow to be 10″ tall