This annual to short lived perennial has a tufted foliage and forms a compact low bushy habit. It has grey-green lanced shaped lobed leaves and the orange to white cup-shaped flowers appear high above the foliage on a slender stem in early summer.

Hardiness zones 6 to 11

Eschscholtzia californica is naturally found in north-west North America growing in well drained moderately fertile moist gravelly soils in an open sunny position and is frost and drought tolerant.

The California Poppy is grown for its flowers and bushy habit. It is planted in small or cottage gardens along borders or used in rockeries. It is also mass planted for bedding displays in parks and large gardens and the flowers are used in floral arrangements. It establishing in one season tolerating in a wide range of climate zones but may become a weed as it self-sows in disturbed soils. ID 760

Eschscholtzia(esh-SHOLTS-ee-a) californica(kăl-i-FORN-i-ka)

Papaveraceae (pa-pav-er-AY-see-ee)
Poppies