Tufted Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa)

Eschscholzia caespitosa is a species in the Papaveraceae (Poppy) family known by the common names Tufted Poppy and Foothill poppy. It is native to western North America from Oregon to Baja California where it is a member of the chaparral plant community. In California it is found primarily in the central Coast Ranges, the Sierra foothills, and the Transverse Range. This is an annual herb which is quite similar in appearance to its relative, the California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica). It produces patches of foliage made up of several leaflets per leaf and thin, erect stems up to 30 centimeters in height. The poppy flower has orange to yellow petals each one to two and a half centimeters long. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule 4 to 8 centimeters long containing tiny dark netted seeds. Because it is an annual, it is best used in a meadow-like setting with other annuals (see below). Description from Calscape.

Growers: Larner Seeds

Other Names Used: 

Family: Papveraceae

Life Cycle: Annual

Plant Type: Herb

Sun Exposure: Full

Bloom Period: Spring, Summer

Bloom Color(s): Yellow, Cream

Plant Height: 2-12 inches tall

Plant Width: 1 foot wide

California Regions:

• San Francisco Bay Area
• North Coast
• Central Valley
• Sierra Foothills
• Sierra Nevada
• Central California Coast
• Southern Coast
• Southern California Inland
• Desert

Ecological Benefits:

• Attracts pollinators, birds, wildlife

Ecological Functions:

• Grows in Containers
• Groundcover

Habitat Type:

• Chaparral
• Coastal Grassland
• Valley Grassland
• Oak Woodland 

Human Uses/Cautions: 

Skill Level: Beginner

Seed Pretreatment: None