In case you nearly missed it, we’re just reaching the end of California Poppy season! This is Eschscholzia californica, California’s state flower and a familiar roadside “weed”.  Plants reach only 1-2 feet tall, and they grow well without water or fertilizer in the Bay Area. Orange is the most common color, but you can find them in many shades, including red, pink, pale yellow, and even white. 

You sometimes hear that it is illegal to cut our state flower, but that’s not exactly true. State law says you need permission to remove / sell plants from someone else’s property. But you can grow and manage them on your own property as you like! They look great scattered among wild grasses in a dry field or at the edges of a parking area. 

Sow seeds in winter, enjoy the springtime color show, then mow them back in early summer. Ask your Area Manager about starting a colony of California Poppies on your property this winter.