Dendromecon rigida
Bush poppy
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Dendromecon rigida (Bush poppy) is a native California shrub / tree in the Papaveraceae family, recognized by smaller size and narrower leaves.
Bush poppy is a California native shrub found in southern northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, central western California, southwestern California, and western edge of the Sonoran Desert in dry slopes and washes, especially on recently burned areas at elevations below 1,900 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with large petals 2 to 3 centimeters wide. Growing 1 to 3 meters tall with an upright, dense branching structure, it forms a distinctive woody shrub that thrives in fire-prone landscapes. Its narrow, elongated leaves measure 2.5 to 10 centimeters long and 0.7 to 2.5 centimeters wide, providing a silvery-green backdrop to its vivid blossoms. The fruit develops into elongated capsules 5 to 10 centimeters long, containing small seeds about 2 to 2.5 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinguished by smaller size and narrower leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, washes, especially recent burns
Elevation: < 1900 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, San Diego, Kern, Monterey, Placer, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Bernardino, Tulare, Santa Clara, Fresno, Butte, Orange, Plumas, Mariposa, Sonoma, Shasta, Lake, Napa, El Dorado, Calaveras, Marin, Mendocino, Glenn, Contra Costa, San Benito, Nevada, Amador, Tuolumne, Alameda, Mono
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Dendromecon rigida blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Eschscholzia: Woody shrub with persistent stems, not herbaceous annual dying back each year.; vs Hypericum: Four petals (not five), leaves narrow and simple without oil dots.; vs Crocanthemum: Poppy-like flowers with many stamens, leaves leathery without star-shaped hairs.; vs Hunnemannia: Woody perennial shrub, not herbaceous annual from Mexico.; vs Salix: Showy yellow poppy flowers with 4 petals, not tiny catkins without petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dendromecon rigida native to California?
Yes. Dendromecon rigida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Dendromecon rigida bloom?
Dendromecon rigida blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Dendromecon rigida grow?
Dendromecon rigida occurs in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, San Diego, Kern, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of < 1900 m.
What plant family does Dendromecon rigida belong to?
Dendromecon rigida is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Dendromecon.
What habitat does Dendromecon rigida grow in?
Dendromecon rigida grows in dry slopes, washes, especially recent burns.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Dendromecon sp. — Tree poppy
- Dendromecon harfordii — Channel island tree poppy
- Dendromecon harfordii var. harfordii — north island bush-poppy
- Dendromecon harfordii var. rhamnoides — south island bush-poppy
- Dicentra formosa — Pacific bleeding heart
- Dicentra formosa ssp. oregana — Oregon bleeding heart
- Dicentra nevadensis — Tulare county bleeding heart
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.