California Poppy is the state flower of California, famous for the brilliant orange wildflower displays that blanket hillsides and roadsides in spring. It is an annual or short-lived perennial that closes its petals at night and in cloudy weather. Native bees collect the bright orange pollen, and the seeds are eaten by small rodents. It is remarkably drought-tolerant.
Best time to see a California Poppy
The best time to see a California Poppy is March–May, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 74,565 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a California Poppy? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent California Poppy sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a California Poppy? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a California Poppy is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love plants? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.