California Golden Poppy Flower Information

Spanish settlers called this flower "copa del ora," which translates as "cup of gold."

The California Golden Poppy's (or California Poppy's) Latin name is Eschscholzia californica. This flower is naturally dark yellow to bright orange, though plant breeders have introduced more colors. It became California's official state flower in 1903.

Description

The California Golden Poppy is 12 to 18 inches tall. Its tapered buds open into 4-petal flowers that, in turn, form a two to three-inch diameter cup. Those flowers close under certain conditions--such as at night, in the cold or wind or on cloudy days--but reopen the following morning.

Growing Conditions

California Golden Poppy flowers need full sun and good drainage. They do well in dry, sandy soil or even in rock gardens, though it is best to seed them where they will grow permanently, according to the Wisconsin Master Gardener Program. Their long taproots make transplanting difficult.

Food and Medicine

The California Golden Poppy plant has been used by several indigenous North American tribes as food, cosmetics and medicine, including as a sedative and a treatment for lice, toothaches, headaches and sores. It has sedative, antiparasitic and analgesic properties, but not the addictive characteristics of the opium poppy.

References

• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension: Wisconsin Master Gardener Program: California Poppy