Propagate guide

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Watering mastery

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Fertilizer mystery reveal

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Tips & tricks for cutting

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Plant pot secrets

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Common pests

Frequent diseases

Botanist’s tips

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Popularity

California poppies require very little water, and are good candidates for drought tolerant xeriscapes. Sporadic spring rainfall is adequate to irrigate the plants. In areas with hot summers, plants will often go dormant and need no additional irrigation during this time.

Water

California poppies require a day of full sunlight to bloom and maintain plant vigor. Six hours of unfiltered sunlight is essential for poppy growth, and more is even better. California poppies that grow in shady spots will look ratty and succumb to fungal diseases.

Sunlight

The ability of California poppies to grow in areas with poor soil gives them an edge on survival: whereas other plants that need rich loamy soil full of nutrients might flounder in depleted soils, California poppies move in to fill this niche. Sandy soils and rocky soils both provide good conditions for California poppies. What doesn't work is heavy clay soils. California poppies need great drainage for their tap roots, so if your soil is clay, try raised beds or container culture.

Soil

No fertilizer is necessary to successfully grow California poppies, even in areas with poor soil. The addition of chemical fertilizers will cause excess foliage growth at the expense of blooms.

Fertilizer

The warming of the soil in the spring, combined with moisture from spring rains, will trigger germination of California poppy seeds. As long as temperatures remain mild, between 50 and 75°F, California poppies will continue to grow. In areas with hot summers, California poppy plants will become dormant. However, when cool fall temperatures return, plants will regrow and re-bloom from their tap roots.