Annual or perennial herb to 30-40 cm tall. Flowering stems branched. Leaves hairless, slightly waxy blue, divided into thin segments. Flowers with petals to 5 cm long; spring to summer. Capsule to 8 cm long.
This is the State floral emblem of California, USA.
California
Watery sap a mild narcotic and used by American Indians as a relief for toothache.
Although recorded as escaping from gardens in Australian metropolitan areas, it has failed to set seed for more than a few generations. However, it is well established as an environmental weed in the Upper Snowy River region of Victoria and New South Wales and is also established beside streams in E Gippsland, Victoria and Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
Several colour variants are grown and sometimes given cultivar names or sold as coloured seed mixes. Double-flowered variants are also available.
Source: (1997). Papaveraceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Eschscholzia californica 'Alba'
Flowers creamy white.
Eschscholzia californica 'Aurantiaca'
Flowers orange. [var. aurantiaca hort.]
Eschscholzia californica 'Crocea'
Flowers deep orange.
Eschscholzia californica 'Rosea'
Flowers salmon pink; seeds of this cultivar may produce plants with streaked petals.