Eschscholzia

( esh - SHOLT - see - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

​This genus includes perennials and annuals, and species are relatives of the Poppy. The flowers sprout from masses of finely divided green foliage and have paper-thin petals in a variety of colors. Straight species will produce blooms in shades of yellow and orange, though there are many cultivars with different-colored blooms. They require full sun and need little to regular water to perform well. Their flowers will attract birds and bees to your garden. Grow these flowers as members of pollinator, meadow, wildflower, border, rock, or container gardens. They are ideal xeriscaping plants, and seeds and leaves can be harvested for use in culinary applications.  Take care when planting these flowers in your garden, as the plant parts of some species are poisonous to humans and pets if ingested.

Eschscholzia Species and Varietals

The genus Eschscholzia is a member of the plant family Papaveraceae and includes 12 species. The genus is named for the Estonian botanist Johann Friedrich von Eschscholz. The best growing zones for these happy flowering plants are 1-24 and H1. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Eschscholzia caespitosa (Tufted Poppy, Foothill Poppy, Collarless California Poppy)
This annual flower is native to California and southwestern Oregon, and gets about 6 inches tall and just as wide. Flowers are bright yellow. They are great for edging beds and containers. Variety 'Sundew' has dense growth and lemon-yellow flowers.

​Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy, Golden Poppy, California Sunlight, Cup of Gold, Bottlestopper, Desert Trumpet)
This is the State Flower of California. It is a perennial that is often grown as an annual, and is native to both California and Oregon. It is free-branching and has blue-green leaves. Flowers are satiny and the color varies from deep orange to pale yellow.  Flowers will close without adequate light. There are dozens of garden varieties, including those with flower colors in yellow, pink, rose, orange, red, purple, and white. Some have petals streaked with contrasting colors, and can be single, double, or semi-double. Seeds will attract birds.

​Eschscholzia elegans (Eschscholzia ramosa)
This relative of the California Poppy is native to the Guadalupe and Cedros Islands off the coast of Baja California. Flowers are yellow to light orange, and foliage is green to bluish-green in color. These plants typically reach up to a foot tall at maturity.

​Eschscholzia glyptosperma (Desert Gold Poppy, Desert Golden Poppy, Mojave Poppy)
Native to the Mojave Desert and the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States, this species of Poppy is an annual herbaceous plant that reaches about 10 inches tall at maturity. Flowers are bright yellow and bloom from March through May. 
Eschscholzia spp. Hybrids
This group of flowers includes hybrids and cultivars that were created through breeding programs to develop the longest-lasting, most colorful, eye-catching blooms in various colors.
'Alba'
'Ballerina Mix'
'Carmine King'
'Chrome Queen'
'Cream Swirl'
'Golden West'
'Ivory Castle'
'Mikado'
'Mission Bells Mix'
'Purple Gleam'
'Red Chief'
'Red Glow'
'Thai Silk Appleblossom Chiffon'
'Thai Silk Apricot'
'Thai Silk Pink Champagne'
'Thai Silk Rose'
'Thai Silk Strawberry Field'
'White Linen'
'XL Jelly Beans'
'Yukon Gold'

Eschscholzia hypecoides (San Benito Poppy)
This wildflower species is native to grassy areas and woodlands in the Southern Coast Ranges of California. These plants reach about 12 inches tall when mature and produce yellow to orangey flowers, sometimes spotted with darker colors of yellow or orange. Foliage is green to greyish-green.

Eschscholzia lemmonii (Lemmon's Poppy, Tejon Poppy)
This species is endemic to California's Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, and Transverse Ranges. These annual wildflower plants produce orange to dark yellow poppy flowers.

Eschscholzia lobbii (Frying Pans)
This species is endemic to California's Central Valley and adjacent Sierra Nevada foothills. These annual plants form a patch of segmented leaves and light yellow to orange flowers. These plants reach about 6 inches tall at maturity. This species is named for botanist William Lobb.

Eschscholzia minutiflora (Pygmy Poppy)
Native to the southwest region of the United States, these annual plants produce yellow to orange (sometimes with darker yellow or orange markings) flowers in spring and summer. This species reaches about 14 inches tall at maturity. 

Eschscholzia parishii (Parish's Poppy)
This wildflower species is native to several desert areas in North America, including in California and Mexico. Flowers are golden yellow to yellow-orange, and bloom in spring and summertime. 

Eschscholzia rhombipetala (Diamond-Petaled California Poppy)
This species of Poppy is native to California's San Louis Obispo and Alameda counties. These wildflowers are not commonly seen or grown in gardens. They produce small yellow to orange flowers, and is usually seen between 2 and 12 inches tall at maturity.

Caring for Eschscholzia

Eschscholzia plants can either be grown from seed (direct-sown or started indoors) or purchased as starts from a reputable nursery. They are best when direct-sown, as they do not like to have their roots disturbed. Sow in fall for flowers the following springtime, or sow successionally between the middle of April and June for a longer flowering period. After being planted, they typically self-seed, so make sure this tendency will not become an issue by planting them away from prized ornamentals. Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun during the day. Ideally, these Poppies should be getting between 6 and 8 hours of sun for best flowering. They prefer to be planted in sandy, well-draining soil with a pH of between 5.0 and 8.0. If local soils do not drain well, amend the planting area with plenty of sand before sowing seeds. These flowers are best grown in-ground, they are not long-lived when cultivated in containers.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are so drought-tolerant that they are commonly used as ornamentals in xeriscapes. They do well in areas of the garden with no formal irrigation setup. Fertilize each year with an application of organic compost around the planting area. This feeding should provide adequate nutrient resources for flowers in their growth and blooming seasons, and no other fertilizing is required. Prune to remove spent blossoms, especially if you do not want flowers to re-seed freely.

Propagation

Eschscholzia flowers are best propagated by seed, and will freely re-seed in the area of the garden they are planted in if plants are allowed to produce seed pods. They do not like to have their roots disturbed, so propagation through division, although possible, is not recommended. To propagate your California Poppy, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Eschscholzia by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) peat moss and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Eschscholzia plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Eschscholzia plants produce long, thin seed pods after flowers have faded.
Eschscholzia seeds.

Problems and Pests

Eschscholzia, or California Poppy, plants can be susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the garden:
  • Powdery Mildew
  • Stem Rot
  • Root Rot
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:

Gallery

These poppies are commonly grown alongside purple-flowering plants, like Lupine.
Although many people picture poppies as having orange blooms, some cultivars have been bred to produce other colors, including white.
These Poppies are commonly seen in many California gardens.
Hills on the west coast are covered in poppies in springtime.
This water-wise landscape features Eschscholzia.
This household decided to ditch their lawn and replace it with a poppy field.

Videos

Learn about the California state flower.
How to collect California Poppy seeds.

Resources

How to Grow and Care for California Poppy
How to Plant and Grow California Poppy
California Poppy
How to Grow and Care for California Poppies
Wikipedia: Eschscholzia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 310, Eschscholzia
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
​