Description
Eschscholzia – California Poppy –
There are about 10 species of slender, erect, basally, branching annuals, and perennials, in this genus. They occur in grassy, open habitats in Western North America. They have finely divided, fern like, light to blue green foliage. In spring or summer it bears solitary, shallowly cupped, paper thin, 4 petaled, (rarely 5 to 8 petalled), poppy like flowers in red, orange or yellow, they close in cloudy weather. Grow in an annual border, or in a gravel or rock garden.
Grow in poor, well drained soil in full sun, deadhead regularly. Thrive in warm dry climates but will tolerate quite severe frost.
Prone to a variety of fungi causes leaf, stem and root problems.
E. californica – California Poppy – This variable, short lived, mat forming perennial, sometime hairy annual found from Oregon to coastal California grows 12″ tall and 6-12″ wide. It produces lance shaped, gray green, feathery leaves, 6-8″ long. In summer it bears numerous single, cup shaped, predominantly vivid orange, sometimes also red or yellow flowers, to 3″ across, followed by long, curved seed pods.
Zones 6-11
