Eschscholzia minutiflora
Coville s poppy
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eschscholzia minutiflora (Coville s poppy) is a native California herb in the Papaveraceae family, recognized by glaucous coating and short bud tips.
Coville's poppy is a California native annual found in southeastern Sierra Nevada Foothills, eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert regions in desert washes, flats, and slopes at elevations below 2,600 meters. Flowering from January to May, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with occasional orange spots at the base, ranging from 3 to 26 millimeters long. Growing with erect or spreading stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall, the plant appears glaucous gray or blue-green and completely glabrous. Its leaves have distinctive short segments, generally obtuse and entire, with the uppermost cauline leaves containing more than 8 segments. The plant produces slender fruits 2.4 to 8 centimeters long, with small brown to black seeds that have a distinctive net-ridged surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinguished by glaucous coating and short bud tips
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert washes, flats, slopes
Elevation: < 2600 m.
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Los Angeles, Kern, Imperial, San Diego, Mono, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Tulare, Fresno, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, San Benito
Outside California: to southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, western Arizona, northwestern Mexico.
Bloom period
Eschscholzia minutiflora blooms Jan-May.
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 minutiflora native to California?
Yes. Eschscholzia minutiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eschscholzia minutiflora bloom?
Eschscholzia minutiflora blooms Jan-May.
Where in California does Eschscholzia minutiflora grow?
Eschscholzia minutiflora occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Los Angeles, Kern, Imperial, San Diego, Mono and other counties, at elevations of < 2600 m..
What plant family does Eschscholzia minutiflora belong to?
Eschscholzia minutiflora is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Eschscholzia.
What habitat does Eschscholzia minutiflora grow in?
Eschscholzia minutiflora grows in Desert washes, flats, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. covillei — Coville's poppy
- Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. minutiflora — Pygmy poppy
- Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. twisselmannii — Red rock poppy
- Eschscholzia papastillii — Mojave poppy
- Eschscholzia parishii — Parish's poppy; gold poppy
- Eschscholzia procera — Kernville poppy
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.