Consulta Plantas

Care of the plant Eschscholzia californica or California poppy

The genus Eschscholzia, family Papaveraceae, comprises 12 species of annual and perennial plants native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. Some species are: Eschscholzia californica, Eschscholzia caespitosa, Eschscholzia maritima, Eschscholzia cucullata.

Common names: California poppy, Golden poppy, California sunlight, Cup of gold. This species is native to California.

They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants that reach 40 cm (15.74") in height. The leaves are deeply subdivided. The interesting and large 4-petal flowers can be orange, red, yellow or pink in color: they open in the central hours of the day. They bloom from mid-spring to mid-fall.

They are used to form flower beds, mixed borders, potted for terraces and balconies and even as cut flowers.

Eschscholzia californica needs full sun exposure. They resist frost down to -10 ºC (14 ºF).

The soil must be calcareous and contain 1/3 sand for it to drain well. They do not resist transplantation well; sow the seeds in the final location and then thin the plants leaving 20 cm around each plant.

Water every day but with a small amount of water (one glass per specimen) so that the substrate always has a slight humidity.

Fertilize before sowing with powdered organic fertilizer and mineral fertilizer.

Prune withered flower stems 10 cm (3.93") from the ground to encourage the appearance of new flowers.

They propagate by seeds sown in early autumn or late summer directly in their final location.

Images of the plant Eschscholzia californica or California poppy