Weed Information: Eschscholzia californica (poppy, California)
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Eschscholzia californica (poppy, California)

Family: Papaveraceae

Description

Distinctive in its large, four petalled, orange flowers. The state flower of California. Through the horticultural trade, this species has spread to several other states where it is often weedy.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • Orange
  • Yellow-orange
  • Yellow
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Corymb
  • Solitary, terminal
Number of Petals
  • 4 petals
Petal Separation
  • Completely free to base
Petal Tip
  • Rounded
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
  • 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)
  • 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
  • 4.0 cm (1.6 inches)
  • 4.5 cm (1.8 inches)
  • 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) or more
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 4.5 cm (1.8 inches)
  • 5.0 cm (2.0 inches)
  • > 5.0 cm (> 2.0 inches)
Number of Sepals
  • 4 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • United > 75% of length
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • 1 style
Number of Stamens
  • more than 10 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens NOT attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 1 carpel
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Capsule, 1-celled
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
  • 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)
  • 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
  • 4.0 cm (1.6 inches)
  • 4.5 cm (1.8 inches)
  • 5.0 cm (2.0 inches)
  • 6.0 cm (2.4 inches)
  • 7.0 cm (2.8 inches)
  • 8.0 cm (3.2 inches)
  • 9.0 cm (3.6 inches)
  • 1.0 dm (4.0 inches)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
  • 6 mm (.24 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • All basal
  • Alternate
Leaf Type
  • Palmately dissected
  • Pinnately dissected
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Palmate
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole < 25% total length
  • Petiole 25% - 75% total length
  • Petiole > 75% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.6 - 4.0 inches)
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Parted
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acute
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glabrous (NO hairs)
  • Glaucous
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
  • Perennial
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Erect, spherical (bushy)
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
  • 4 - 6 dm (1.3 - 2.0 feet)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
  • Arid
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem leaves greatly reduced
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem unbranched
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Tap Root

US State
  • Alabama
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • North Carolina
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin
  • Hawaii
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Iowa
  • Idaho
  • New Mexico
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • British Columbia
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Alberta
  • Manitoba

  • California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 272
  • Gilkey`s Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, 1980 (ISBN 0-88246-039-0) See page: 121
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 198
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
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