Eschscholzia californica
California poppy
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eschscholzia californica (California poppy) is a native California herb in the Papaveraceae family, recognized by perennial habit, orange petals, and spreading flower rim.
California poppy is a California native perennial found in the California Floristic Province, North Coast Ranges, western Sierra Nevada, and eastern Mojave Desert in grassy or open areas at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering from February to September, this plant produces bright orange to yellow flowers with 15 to 30 millimeter petals, often displaying deeper orange at the flower bases. Growing 5 to 60 centimeters tall with an erect or spreading habit, it emerges from a heavy taproot and features glabrous stems that are occasionally glaucous. Its delicate leaves have finely divided segments that are either obtuse or acute, creating a soft, feathery appearance. When mature, the plant produces distinctive seed pods 3 to 9 centimeters long containing small brown to black seeds with a distinctive net-ridged surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; distinguished by perennial habit, orange petals, and spreading flower rim
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassy or open areas
Elevation: < 2500 m
California counties: San Diego, Calaveras, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mono, Orange, San Francisco, Alameda, Tulare, Lassen, San Bernardino, Lake, Inyo, San Benito, Madera, Monterey, San Mateo, Yolo, Amador, Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Merced, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Nevada, San Joaquin, Modoc, Colusa, Imperial, Kings, Sierra, Sutter, Tehama, Tuolumne, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Mariposa, Napa, Plumas, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Trinity, Yuba
Outside California: to southern Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, northwestern Baja California. Naturalized in southeastern North America, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Europe, and South Africa
Bloom period
Eschscholzia californica blooms Feb-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Papaver: Eschscholzia sepals form pointed cap that pops off; Papaver has 2 separate hairy sepals.; vs Artemisia: Eschscholzia has 4-petaled flowers; Artemisia has tiny clustered flower heads, no petals.; vs Dendromecon: Eschscholzia is herbaceous annual; Dendromecon is woody shrub with undivided leaves.; vs Afropapaver: Eschscholzia has cup-shaped receptacle; Afropapaver has flat receptacle.; vs Camissoniopsis: Eschscholzia has numerous stamens; Camissoniopsis has exactly 8 stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eschscholzia californica native to California?
Yes. Eschscholzia californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eschscholzia californica bloom?
Eschscholzia californica blooms Feb-Sep.
Where in California does Eschscholzia californica grow?
Eschscholzia californica occurs in San Diego, Calaveras, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Santa Barbara and other counties, at elevations of < 2500 m.
What plant family does Eschscholzia californica belong to?
Eschscholzia californica is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Eschscholzia.
What habitat does Eschscholzia californica grow in?
Eschscholzia californica grows in Grassy or open areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.