Photo by Sue Lannon.
Botanical name: Eschscholzia californica
Common name: California poppy
Family name: Papaveraceae (Poppy Family)
Native range: Western North America
Location in Duke Gardens: Historic Gardens
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10
This spring, you don’t have to travel all the way out to the West Coast to enjoy the blooms of California poppies (Eschscholzia californica). You can see them in the Terrace Gardens, orchestrated by Historic Gardens horticulturist Branden Kowalyszyn. The scree garden bed in which they were planted was specifically engineered to support succulents and alpine species that need well-drained soil, which makes it a perfect mix for these poppies, unlike our native soils. By scattering handfuls of their tiny seeds across the bare, exposed soil last fall, Kowalyszyn was able to mimic the conditions needed for California poppies to bloom.
Although they are the state flower of California, California poppies are far more widespread than their name suggests, with a native range stretching from western Oregon to Mexico. In mild Mediterranean climates like Spain or parts of Australia, it has widely naturalized and certain ecotypes can be aggressive and invasive. But in cooler, wetter climates they are essentially annuals that must be renewed from seed each year.
California poppy flowers are literally fair-weather friends—they only open on sunny days and remain closed on cloudy or rainy days and at night. This phenomenon is known as “phototropy” and is exhibited by many plants with insect pollinators that do not fly during these periods. Although it is not visible to human eyes, there is a large dark spot at the center of each flower, which absorbs ultraviolet light to attract insects in search of nectar.
The bright orange wild type is the best known and most commonly grown, but there are also numerous cultivars in a wide range of colors and flower shapes for garden use. The petals quickly drop if the flowers are picked, meaning that California poppies are best enjoyed in situ, preferably in mass plantings showcasing their stunning colors and simplicity.