California Poppy Seed ( Annual )

Gardening Tips

The California poppy, or Eschscholzia californica, is the state flower of California. Known for its bright orange color, this North American native wildflower can also be found in shades of pink, yellow, red and white. California poppies can reach heights of 12 to 18 inches and bloom throughout the summer months.

California poppies are best propagated from seed. Although they can be propagated through transplantation, it is hard to do, and often times the plants do not survive the process. If you must start indoors, use deep pots. Sow seeds in the early spring once the ground reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit and is workable. Choose an area that receives full sun, at least six hours of sunlight, and has well-draining poor soils. Mix the seeds with 4 parts sand to ensure even spacing. Cover the seeds with 1/16 inch of soil. Water immediately after sowing and keep the soil moist until the seedlings develop their first leaves.

Reduce watering of California poppies once they become established. Water plants one or two times per week only during periods of no rainfall. They are highly drought-tolerant and will suffer if kept too moist. Problems such as powdery mildew or mold will form on the plants' leaves if excessive watering is prolonged. Their roots will begin to rot and die back, affecting the health of the plant. If rainfall occurs, do not provide additional water.

California poppies prefer poor soils. If sown in areas where the soil is too rich and fertile, the poppies will produce foliage with few flowers. Fertilize California poppies only when they appear to be unhealthy with yellow leaves. Apply a 10-10-10 nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium fertilizer at the recommended rate on the label. Do not fertilize California poppies under any other circumstance, as excess fertilization will stop blooming and can harm the plants.

Blooms will begin to appear on your poppies one and a half to two months after sowing. Normal bloom time lasts for six to eight weeks. Pinch blooms from their stems as they begin to fade to encourage new blooms to form. This practice can prolong the blooming period of California poppies by one to two additional weeks.

Leave a few of the last blooms on the stems in order to encourage seed production. The petals will drop leaving a seed head behind. Remove the seed head from the stem once dry in zones 1 through 4. Store the harvested seed heads in glass jars or paper envelopes in a dark, dry and cool spot until spring sowing. Allow the dried seed heads to remain on the stems in zones 5 through 9. In these zones, the California poppies will self-sow their seeds.


VOS007 Carmine King ( Eschscholzia Californica )
The bright carmine rose colors make it shine like a true garden star! As with all California Poppies, Carmine King is an annual in colder climates and a perennial in warmer regions. With the right conditions, it can bloom from early April through August. The California Poppy flower resembles delicate crepe paper flowers. Well-suited for meadows and naturalized settings, California Poppies easily establish from flower seed. They are versatile, cheery flowers and are rewarding wherever they are grown. California Poppy care includes deadheading spent Poppy flowers to prolong blooming and enhance the appearance of the plant. If planted in well-drained soil, Poppies will thrive with very little water as they are quite resistant to drought.
 5,000 seeds ( will cover 50 sq. ft.) $10.95
TWT270 White Linen ( Eschscholzia californica )
White Linen is a stunning variety that is as unusual as it is beautiful. An excellent self-seeder, it puts on quite a show of delicate paper-like petals, especially when planted in abundance.
White Linen California Poppy will produce creamy white flowers that measure 2 or 3 inches wide in diameter. The plants will grow to a mature height of roughly 12 to 18 inches tall.
Grown as a tender perennial, they attract an array of beneficial insects to the garden, such as butterflies, bumblebees, honeybees and more.
 1.8g package ( over 1,000 seeds sows 50 sq. ft. ) $5.95
LET741 Golden West ( Eschscholzia californica )
A spectacular bloomer producing beautiful golden poppies with orange hearts. It readily establishes from seeds, and it is highly drought tolerant and tends to perform well in just about any environment, even arid and inhospitable ones.
When planted in mass groupings, these have tremendous visual appeal.
 500mg Package ( about 350 seeds ) $2.95
IP203 California Poppy, Thai Silk Appleblossom Bush ( Eschscholzia )
Really neat apple and peachy colors on each double flower, very appealing, grows about 8" tall.
  85mg pack ( about 70 seeds ) $2.95
  250 seeds $6.95
TWT285 Ballerina Mix California Poppy ( Eschscholzia californica )
The Ballerina California Poppy is a real stunner that is sure to add heaps of color and intrigue to your flower garden. This variety has double petals in a wide range of brilliant colors and is not your typical California Poppy.
Superb in meadows, native gardens or naturalized settings, this California Poppy mix is easy to grow from flower seeds and requires virtually no care or water. This Ballerina Poppy mix has very finely divided leaves that are pale bluish-green. The funnel-shaped, double and semi-double flowers are satiny and cheerful, growing to 2 inches wide. California Poppies are highly drought tolerant and tend to perform well in just about any environment, even arid and inhospitable ones.
Known for being a liberal self-sower, California Poppies very freely drop their own Poppy flower seeds. When Ballerina flowers are planted in mass groupings, the visual appeal is amazing. These versatile flowers are also great as border plants around a group of larger flowering plants. Perfect for xeriscaping.
 2.5g package ( about 1,500 seeds ) will cover about 75 square feet. $5.95
2079 "Mission Bells Mix" California Poppy
( Eschscholzia californica )
Delicate, Silky Flowers with a Wide Range of Shimmering Colors. Flowers Held High on Slender Stems Early to Flower and Tolerant of Drought and Light Shade. Flowers are many shades of pastel yellow, pink and orange with lightly ruffled petals.

Seedman Basic Info:
A Classic Heirloom Favorite. Grows about 12 inches tall. Easy to grow, plant them directly in your garden and they will spread easily!

 750mg package ( about 500 seeds ) $4.95
FA60 Red Chief ( Eschscholzia californica )
Scarlet flowers stand out strikingly against the silvery blue-green foliage. These plants need little care and can survive in dry areas with sandy soil. Blue-gray foliage contrasts nicely with satiny flowers that bloom from June to frost. Clip the flowers from the plant before the bud opens for cut flowers. Drought tolerant and naturalizes especially in shoreline areas. Direct seed outdoors. It does not transplant well.
 75mg package ( about 40-50 seeds ) $2.95
 750mg package ( about 400-500 seeds ) $11.95
NW60 California Poppy, Sundew ( Eschscholzia caespitosa )
Compact, tufted single lemon yellow flowers, sweetly scented, grows about 6" tall.
18mg pack ( about 25 seeds ) $2.95
180mg pack ( about 250 seeds ) $11.95
JB087 Lady Bird ( Papaver commutatum )
Easy to grow from flower seeds, the Ladybird Poppy features a charming crimson single bloom with a black blotch. Named for the beneficial insect, the lady bug, this Poppy plant is positively dazzling when grown in mass groupings. Ladybird Poppy flowers have 15 or more 3 inch blooms at a time, and the foliage is neat and attractive too. There's nothing more eye-catching than a grouping of red poppies!
25mg pack ( about 300-350 seeds ) $3.95
FA85 Purple Gleam California Poppy ( Eschscholzia californica )
A truly beautiful variety of California Poppy with a unique, deep purple color. Grows 6-8 inches tall, blooms profusely, is easy to grow, and will self-sow.
 50mg Package ( about 30 seeds ) $2.95
 500mg Package ( about 300 seeds ) $11.95
NW61 California Poppy, Thai Silk Apricot Chiffon ( Eschscholzia )
Apricot yellow, upright, free blooming, grows about 6" tall.
  18mg pack ( about 20-25 seeds ) $2.95
  180mg pack ( about 200-250 seeds ) $11.95
IP204 California Poppy, Thai Silk Pink Champagne ( Eschscholzia )
Stunning soft pink to rose pink shades, cream base, fully rippled double, grows about 8" tall.
 47mg pack ( about 50 seeds ) $2.95
 470mg pack ( about 500 seeds ) $14.95
NW58 California Poppy, Thai Silk Fire Bush ( Eschscholzia )
Drought and clay tolerant. Deer resistant. Fire retardant. Native to California. Border, edging and container plant. Great for naturalizing.
Birds are attracted to the seeds. Foliage is silvery blue. Bloom time: spring-summer. Bloom color: fiery red with bright yellow eyes. Grows about 8" tall. Hardy to zone 6.
  15mg package ( about 25 seeds ) $2.45
  150mg package ( about 250 seeds ) $11.95
FA84 Orange King California Poppy ( Eschscholzia californica )
A brilliant orange selection, the brightest of the orange poppies. Grows 6-8 inches tall, blooms profusely, is easy to grow, and will self-sow.
  82mg package ( about 30-40 seeds ) $2.95
2059 California Poppy Native Mix ( Eschscholtiza californica )
A wonderful mix of native California Poppies in a mixture of Red/Orange/Yellow/White colors. Excellent garden selection.
  200mg package ( about 100 seeds ) $2.95
  2g package ( about 1,000 seeds ) $11.95
JPAG26 Plant Growth Stimulator for Poppy Plants
Jim has developed this product through years of testing on his farms. This natural, environmentally safe solution will produce amazing results, producing vigorous plants and extended blooming periods. We highly recommend you do you own trial test ( i.e. spray one plant with solution, next to a plant not sprayed with solution over the length of a growing season ) to fully appreciate how effective this product is.
This is a two part water soluble product that should be mixed 14.75cc of each part ( we provide measuring spoon with solution } to one gallon of water and sprayed onto the foliage of the plants. It contains Food Grade H202, ( produced by nature ) Gibberellic Acid ( a natural plant growth hormone ), B1 and other plant vitamins, plant hormones, ( made from natural sources ) micronutrients including Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Sulfur (S) and Zinc (Zn) plus a natural detergent based "sticker" that makes the product stick to the leaves until absorbed by the plant.
This mix will make 16 gallons of solution.
  $14.95

Sowing and Care Instructions for Eschscholzia Species:

Sow on cultivated soil. Can be fall planted in California, but should be Spring planted in cooler zones. Plants are easy to grow, but do not like to be transplanted. Sow in place when possible. Prefers sunny spot with well drained soil.