Life Science Encyclopedia

Eschscholzia is a genus of 12 flowering plants in the Papaveraceae (poppy) family. The genus was named after the Baltic German botanist Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz (1793-1831).

Many of the plants in this genus are annuals or perennials with deeply cut glabrous or glaucous leaves. These are mostly basal, but a few grow on the stem.

They feature showy four-petaled yellow or orange terminal flowers, growing solitary or in many-flowered cymes. They are funnel-shaped. The two fused sepals fall off as the flower bud opens. The petals are wedge-shaped. There are 12 to numerous stamens.

They develop a cylindrical, dehiscent fruit, producing many tiny seeds.

Two species are widely cultivated. These flowers have the habit of closing in cloudy weather.

The taproot gives off a colorless or orange milky juice. These plants are mildly toxic.

The best-known is the California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower of California; another common in cultivation is E. lobbii, which is often sold as "Eschscholzia caespitosa", even though the two species are quite different.

Species

• Eschscholzia caespitosa : Tufted Poppy, Foothill Poppy, Collarless California Poppy
• Eschscholzia californica : California Poppy
• Eschscholzia elegans
• Eschscholzia glyptosperma
• Eschscholzia hypecoides
• Eschscholzia lemmonii
• Eschscholzia lobbii
• Eschscholzia minutiflora
• Eschscholzia palmeri
• Eschscholzia parishii
• Eschscholzia ramosa
• Eschscholzia rhombipetala

They prosper in warm, dry climates, but withstand some frost. They grow in poor soils with good water drainage.