California State Flower

The Golden Poppy or California Poppy or California Golden Poppy is the California State Flower. Golden Poppy is a perennial and one of the earliest wild flowers to grow in gardens. The Golden Poppy is most beautiful when setting California's rolling hills ablaze with its golden blooms. Golden Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica) is also sometimes known as the Flame Flower, la amapola, and Copa de Oro (cup of gold).

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Ranunculales

Family

Papaveraceae

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The Golden Poppy, belonging to the Papaveraceae family, grows wild throughout California, and became the state flower in 1903. Every year April 6 is California Poppy Day, and May 13-18 is Poppy Week. Golden Poppy are also called as Flanders poppies - Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas), Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule), The Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale).

Golden Poppy blossoms are 2-3 inch cups of gold, bronze, scarlet, terra cotta, rose or white. Golden Poppy bloom on plants with silvery green foliage, about a foot high and usually broader than they are tall. Golden Poppy flowers are seen from February to September. The Golden Poppy flowers are 1-2 inches across, with four wide fan-shaped petals, and many stamens.

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Facts About Golden Poppy

• The Golden Poppy plant has Fern-like leaves with single flowers on a long stalk.
• Golden Poppy leaves are 3/4-4" long divided into narrow segments on long stalks.
• Golden Poppy bloom in open areas, grassy or sandy slopes.
• Golden Poppy is found in southern California to southern Washington, east to Texas.
• Golden Poppy flower is used in landscaping for a temporary spring display by scattering the seed in the fall.
• California Indians cherished the Golden Poppy as both a source of food and for oil extracted from the plant.
• The true poppy genus is Papaver, but many flowers of related genera are also called poppies.
• The milky sap of Golden Poppy's unripe seed pods is the source of opium and several other similar drugs, e.g., morphine, codeine, and heroin.
• Golden Poppy seed, also called maw seed, is not narcotic and is used as birdseed and for a flavoring or garnish in baking.
• Golden Poppy seed is also ground for flour.
• Poppy oil, derived from the Golden Poppy seeds, is employed in cooking and illumination and in paints, varnishes, and soaps.
• The Golden Poppy has been the symbol of the dead and of sleep since antiquity.

Facts About California

• Some suggest that the word California may come from the early Spanish explorers who entered California via the hot southern regions and referred to California as being "hot as an oven" (cali > hot, fornia > oven).
• California's capital city is Sacramento.
• California attained statehood on September 9, 1850.
• California is nicknamed as Golden State.
• California's largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco.
• Bordering States of California are Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.
• Other natural wonders in California include Lassen Peak, one of two active volcanoes in the U.S.
• Economically, the most important plant in the family is the opium poppy ( P. somniferum ), now widely cultivated from Europe to East Asia.
• The top tourist spots of California are: Disneyland, Anaheim; Universal Studios, Hollywood; Sea World, San Diego; Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park; Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia; Santa Cruz Beach, Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, etc,.
• California's diverse geography, geology, soils and climate have generated a tremendous diversity of plant and animal life.
• California's nickname The Golden State is in reference to the California Gold Rush, and not to the golden brown summer hillsides as is sometimes stated
• California is also a leader in energy efficiency.
• The University of California is widely considered as one of the most prestigious public university systems in the world.