Papaver heterophyllum
Wind poppy
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Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Papaver heterophyllum (Wind poppy) is a native California herb in the Papaveraceae family, recognized by yellow sap and deeply pinnate-lobed leaves.
Wind poppy is a California native perennial found in southern northwestern, central Sierra Nevada foothills, San Joaquin Valley, central western, and southwestern California in grassy areas and chaparral openings at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces striking orange-red flowers with purple spots at the base, 10 to 20 millimeters wide, that quickly shed their delicate petals. Growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall with yellow sap and slender stems, the plant develops intricate foliage. Its deeply pinnate-lobed leaves range 2 to 12 centimeters long, with primary lobes that are toothed or further subdivided, appearing glabrous to sparsely hairy. The fruit is an obconic to obovate capsule 1 to 2 centimeters long, containing many small brown or black seeds with a rough net-like texture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are yellow sap and deeply pinnate-lobed leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassy areas, openings in chaparral
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Kern, Tulare, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Fresno, Napa, Monterey, Contra Costa, Santa Barbara, Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Alameda, San Benito, Kings
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Papaver heterophyllum blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Eschscholzia: Papaver capsule opens by top pores; Eschscholzia splits lengthwise and sits in cup-shaped base.; vs Oreomecon: Papaver fruit is broader than long; Oreomecon fruit is longer than broad.; vs Rosa: Papaver has 4-6 separate petals; Rosa has 5 petals and thorny stems.; vs Ranunculus: Papaver has 2 sepals that drop early; Ranunculus has 5 persistent sepals.; vs Tropaeolum: Papaver has capsule fruit; Tropaeolum has wrinkled nutlet fruits in threes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Papaver heterophyllum native to California?
Yes. Papaver heterophyllum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Papaver heterophyllum bloom?
Papaver heterophyllum blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Papaver heterophyllum grow?
Papaver heterophyllum occurs in Kern, Tulare, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Papaver heterophyllum belong to?
Papaver heterophyllum is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Papaver.
What habitat does Papaver heterophyllum grow in?
Papaver heterophyllum grows in Grassy areas, openings in chaparral.
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.