Eschscholzia lemmonii
Lemmon's poppy
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Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eschscholzia lemmonii (Lemmon's poppy) is a native California herb in the Papaveraceae family, recognized by barrel-shaped receptacle and bur-like seed ridges.
Lemmon's poppy is a California native annual found in rocky or sandy habitats across scattered western mountain ranges at elevations of 500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces vibrant orange to deep yellow flowers 15 to 30 millimeters wide with delicate, softly pointed petals. Growing with slender stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact plants with minimal to no hair coverage. Its leaves have finely divided segments with generally rounded tips, creating a soft, feathery appearance. The fruit develops as a distinctive elongated pod reaching 3 to 7 centimeters long, containing small brown seeds with raised, bur-like surface textures.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by barrel-shaped receptacle and bur-like seed ridges
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Kern, San Joaquin, Merced, Mariposa, Kings, Ventura, Placer, Tulare, Tehama, San Diego
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 lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Eschscholzia lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eschscholzia lemmonii grow?
Eschscholzia lemmonii occurs in Santa Barbara, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Kern, San Joaquin, Merced and other counties.
What plant family does Eschscholzia lemmonii belong to?
Eschscholzia lemmonii is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Eschscholzia.
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.