Description

The bush poppy grows throughout the California Floristic Province (i.e. portions of California that enjoy a Mediterranean climate) in dry mountainous regions. The site is often so hot and dry it is a wonder that anything can grow there, much less a shrub as beautiful as the bush poppy. The growth form is open and spreading – a fountain shape – with narrow gray-green leaves with bright yellow spring flowers. Although one encounters bush poppies in partial shade, it is best to provide full sun and well-draining soil. This Santa Clara County native has become rarer with the suppression of wildfires, which stimulate seed germination.