CALIFORNIA POPPY

(Eschscholzia californica), annual garden plant of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) native to the western coast of North America. It has become naturalized in parts of southern Europe, Asia, and Australia. The flowers, borne on stems 20 to 30 centimetres (8 to 12 inches) long, are usually pale yellow, orange, or cream in the wild, but in cultivation whites and various shades of red and pink have been developed. The foliage is gray green and feathery. The four-petalled, five- to seven-centimetre flowers open only in sunlight. They blossom all summer in northern climes and into the winter in areas with mild winters. Horticultural varieties include tall, dwarf, double, single, and various colours.