If you missed out on the free poppy seed packets last month. Don’t fret, I still have more where it came from. Claim your free seed packet on my Shop with any purchase. There’s no way to send free stuff without charging a price. But if you would like seeds without buying something you can also just pay for shipping, and I’ll send it out to you! Below you can learn about the Native Flower of California and how to plant it. It is a very forgiving plant that will spread and come back every year. A beautiful flower that the bumble bees will love rolling in. This is a plant you need in your garden!
About The California Poppy
California's native flower is the Orange Poppy. Scientific name is Eschscholzia Californica, also known as Cup of Gold and Golden Poppy. The flower was named by a German botanist Adelbert von Chamisso. The California Poppy became the state flower in 1903. It’s native to the United States and Mexico. You can find poppies growing in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and many other states. It has become invasive in parts of Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia since it is not their natural habitat. Poppies also come in many other colors like red, orange, yellow, pink and white. Its blooming season ranges from February to September and is considered both an annual and a perennial, depending how you grow them. The flower opens during the day and closes at night. Their seed pods are long and slim housing black or brown seeds. They will make a popping sound when the seed pod bursts open. The flowers have 4 petals. Fun fact April 6th is known as California Poppy Day.
History and Traditional Use
The poppy has been used by the natives of the land and has deep history and lore behind the plant. It has been traditionally used in medicine and cosmetics. The petals and pollen have been used in hairdressing, dying, and cosmetics. The greens have been used in teas and as vegetables when boiled. Today the flower is used as a garnish, teas as herbal remedy for headache, toothache and insomnia. It is said to have calming effects on the body. Also is used in extracts, capsules and tinctures and is most often combined with other plants. Even though poppy is okay for human consumption, many bugs and wildlife find the plant poisonous.
The Tongva who are indigenous to Southern California call the plant Mekachaa and consider the native plant to be relatives and should be treated with respect. The California Poppy has become a symbol for Californian identity, disregarding the indigenous identity that it once had. Many other indigenous communities in California also have historical connections to the plant including Cahuilla, Costanoan, Luiseno and Pomo. In Tongva folklore, the Golden Poppy was the final plant to be created by the Tongva’s god of creation Wiyot.
How to plant
Poppies do well in warm climates. They will bloom during summer and spring. Poppies do not like to be transferred, it is best to scatter them on the surface wherever you want to plant them. They will grow where they wanna grow. They have a long tap root to grip the soil and stabilize themselves, so transferring them will disturb the main root. I’ve had a few successes transferring poppy plants when they are very small, but it is not recommended. They also tolerate drought very well, so if you tend to forget to water your plants it's no big deal. They aren’t finicky plants, once the blooms are gone you can trim them to the base and they will rebloom again. Poppy’s will spread far and wide so it is important to snip the flower once they wilt if you do not wish for them to spread. If you would like to save seeds, let your plant develop seed pods and harvest them before they are ready to pop. You will know they are ready to pop when the seed pod turns brown. If you harvest the seed pods when they are ripe they will pop in your hands so be extra careful. Poppies are a fun plan to grow in your garden. Of course always be mindful of the plants you grow in your area, you would not want to grow plants that are not native to your area.
They are also pot garden friendly! I’ve successfully planted poppies in a pot my first time around. They weren't as large as the ones in the ground, but they still give you a beautiful display of flowers. Consider planting them in a deep enough pot for their roots to grow.
References
“Eschscholzia Californica.” Wikipedia, 7 Oct, 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eschscholzia_californica
Julie Kierstead Nelson,“California Poppy (Eschscholzia Californica).” Forrest Service USDA, www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/eschscholzia-californica
“California Poppy- Modern Reminder of California’s History.” www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/images/capoppy/calpoppy.pdf
Jillian Kubala, MS RD, “What is California Poppy, and Does it Have Health Benefits?” Healthline, 10 Dec, 2021, www.healthline.com/nutrition/california-poppy
“California Poppy.” nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants/Papaveraceae/Eschscholzia%20californica.htm#:~:text=is%20poisonous%20to%20livestock%20and%20most%20insects%20but,as%20a%20remedy%20for%20headache%2C%20toothache%2C%20and%20insomnia.
“Mekachaa: Plant Relative of Resistance” Meztli Projects, 28 Oct-9 Dec, 2021, www.meztliprojects.org/mekachaa
I hope this was a helpful article about the Californian Native Plant. As always, be respectful and do your own research! If you love to learn about plants check out the other posts I've written. This is the link to my Blog, this is the link to my Comic!
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