Eschscholzia lemmonii subsp. kernensis

Tejon poppy, Tejon Poppy

Family: Papaveraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Tejon poppy is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the southwestern Tehachapi Mountains and northern Western Transverse Ranges in open grasslands, generally on loose, calcareous soils at elevations of 200 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces golden-yellow flowers in erect, glabrous buds that emerge delicately above the grassland. Growing with erect stems rising distinctively from the ground, it forms a slender, upright annual structure. Its finely divided leaves create a soft, feathery appearance characteristic of the poppy family. The fruit develops as a round to elliptic seed, completing the plant's brief but vibrant annual cycle.

Habitat: Open grassland, generally in loose, calcareous soils

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: 200-1000 m

Bioregions: sw Teh, n WTR.

California counties: Kern

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.