Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. minutiflora

Pygmy poppy

Family: Papaveraceae · Type: annual · Native

Pygmy poppy is a California native annual found in desert regions of the southwestern United States in desert washes, flats, and slopes at elevations below 2,600 meters. Flowering from January to May, this delicate plant produces bright yellow flowers with small petals 3 to 8 millimeters long. Growing extremely compact with erect stems just 3 to 8 centimeters tall, the plant forms a diminutive and charming desert form. Its leaves and stems are finely structured to match its miniature size, creating an intricate small-scale botanical profile. The fruit develops 2.5 to 5 centimeters long, significantly exceeding the plant's modest height.

Habitat: Desert washes, flats, slopes

Bloom period: Jan-May

Elevation: < 2600 m

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