The California poppy is also known as the golden poppy. It is California's state flower, chosen over 120 years ago to symbolize the Golden State with its vibrant orange-yellow blossoms.
Poppies, which come in various varieties, share similar cultivation requirements, thrive in cool temperatures, and are best sown either before seasonal rains for early spring blooms or in the fall. With germination occurring within 10-15 days, these hardy plants are low-maintenance in terms of water and fertilizer, but demand a minimum of six hours of sunlight, conditions readily met in Southern California. They have their vibrant blooms in spring and April 6th is officially celebrated as California Poppy Day. These cheerful poppies are perennials which indicates that they can thrive for several years when the right conditions are met.
Poppy seeds are used in cooking shown as the black specks on bagels. They don't naturally contain opiates. However, during harvesting, the seeds can inadvertently pick up opiates from the milky latex in the seed pod covering. The processed poppy seeds used in cooking typically lack opiates, as their content decreases significantly during processing by washing, cooking, or baking the seeds.
Ready to plant California Poppy? Let’s anticipate their vibrant orange blooms next spring.
