California Poppies are here! There are blooming in and around the dunes. They are characterized by lone yellow/orange flowers at the end of long stems. They have branching leaves that appear blue/green and are threadlike and lacy. The flowers are silky textured, have four large petals, and close at night or in response to cold or windy weather. Blossoms begin to appear in late spring and last throughout the summer.

California Poppies are native to western North America, and were declared the official California state flower in 1903. They are drought tolerant, self-seeding, and easy to grow, often colonizing disturbed areas such as roadsides. California Indians valued the poppy greatly as a medicinal and food source. For instance, its seeds were used for cooking and its leaves were applied to reduce pain. This attractive, low maintenance plant brings beauty, birds, bees, and butterflies to any garden.

Come see the California Poppy in bloom along with many other spring bloomers in our native garden!