Family: Papaveraceae

A herbaceous flower that spreads from original plantings. Native to California and the west coast of the U.S.A., Eschscholzia californica, thrives in a wide range of climate and soil types. Quickly adapting to local conditions, it has naturalized widely outside its native range, especially in regions with Mediterranean climates. The drought-tolerant plant grows new shoots after mutilation and outcompetes native grasses. The wind-dispersed seeds remain viable, after many years of dormancy, in the soil. Often sold in wildflower seed mixes, the heavy seeder is easy to grow and reaches reproductive maturity quickly. Contamination both in alfalfa seeds and in grain fields have been documented. The annual flower is weedy in dry areas of Hawaiʻi, along with roadsides and in disturbed areas.

Description and Dispersal:

• Herbaceous perennial flower
  
• Feathery green-blue leaves alternately arranged
  
• Solitary flowers appear at the end of the stem
  
• Four petaled flower has a silky texture
  
• Flower color ranges from yellow to orange to purple to cream
  
• Flowers close at night and during cloudy days
  
• Fruit capsule contains many small black seeds
  
• Seeds are wind and water dispersed