Meconella californica
California fairypoppy
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Meconella californica (California fairypoppy) is a native California herb in the Papaveraceae family.
California fairypoppy is a native annual wildflower found in the northern Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Coast, and San Francisco Bay Area in open, rocky areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this delicate plant produces white to pale lavender flowers with petals 2 to 7 millimeters long and distinctive stamens arranged in two series. Growing with slender stems 3 to 20 centimeters tall, the plant has a graceful, compact form. Its leaves are small, measuring 3 to 25 millimeters long, providing a delicate backdrop to its subtle blooms. The plant produces elongated fruits 15 to 50 millimeters long, with tiny obovate seeds less than one millimeter in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key differentiator is stamen count: 12-16 vs 4-6 in M. oregana
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky areas
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Kern, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Butte, Fresno, Mariposa, Tulare, Tuolumne, Madera, Stanislaus, San Francisco, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Sacramento, Yuba, Marin, Sonoma, Nevada, Tehama, Contra Costa, Merced, Alameda, Placer, San Diego, Solano, Santa Barbara
Bloom period
Meconella californica blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Hesperomecon: Meconella is completely smooth; Hesperomecon has conspicuous bristly hairs.; vs Platystemon: Meconella has smooth, spoon-shaped leaves on stalks; Platystemon is hairy throughout.; vs Canbya: Meconella has spoon-shaped leaves on stalks; Canbya has stalkless fleshy leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Meconella californica native to California?
Yes. Meconella californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Meconella californica bloom?
Meconella californica blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Meconella californica grow?
Meconella californica occurs in Kern, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Butte, Fresno, Mariposa, Tulare, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Meconella californica belong to?
Meconella californica is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Meconella.
What habitat does Meconella californica grow in?
Meconella californica grows in Open, rocky areas.
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.