Native Plant Report - California Poppy (Eschscholzia Californica)

California Poppy, Eschscholzia Californica (esh-SHOLE-tzee-a ka-li-FOR-ni-ka), the California state flower. What makes this flower special? Read on.

You've seen the iconic bright orange or yellow poppy flower with it's fragile petals and fernlike blue-green foliage. Have you wondered how it survives the dry, harsh desert environment? How does the flower thrive in drought conditions followed by flash flooding, blazing sun and harsh wind? A key to it's existence is a deep root structure that digs deep to find the sparse water and nutrients it needs. It's seeds can also lie dormant for years until there is sufficient rain.

Poppies love the sun. In fact, on cold and windy days and especially before nightfall poppies will close their petals. This is thought to be a defense mechanism to protect the flower's reproductive ability, or to conserve energy.

California is home to several impressive poppy fields and wild flower meadows. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the western Mojave Desert is a great place to view a sea of these rugged beauties blanketing the landscape. April 6th is California Poppy day.

The California Poppy is native to open, grassy areas in the western United States throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

 

It's easy to see why we have a love affair with the Poppy. Featuring real California Poppy seeds, this soap is mildly exfoliating. Because poppies have little to no scent we chose citrus essential oils to represent the flower's sunny disposition.