Glaucium flavum

Sea poppy, Sea Poppy

Family: Papaveraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Sea poppy is a naturalized perennial found in coastal western and southwestern California in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces large yellow to orange flowers with petals 2 to 4 centimeters long. Growing with robust stems 50 to 100 centimeters tall, it develops stiff, hairy foliage with distinctive characteristics. Its upper leaves are ovate, toothed, and clasp the stem, ranging 5 to 30 centimeters in length. The plant produces striking elongated fruits 15 to 30 centimeters long, making it a dramatic and unusual addition to disturbed landscapes.

Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: CW, SW, expected elsewhere

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