Mikado California Poppy is a stunning heirloom cultivar of Eschscholzia californica that brings the drama of a blazing sunset into your garden. Its red-orange petals and silvery foliage create an arresting contrast that catches the eye from spring through fall. Hardy in zones 8-10, this low-maintenance flower grows 12-18 inches tall and reaches full bloom in just 56-70 days from seed, making it wonderfully quick to establish. It thrives in full sun with minimal water, asking little from the gardener while delivering months of reliable, self-sowing color.
8
Full Sun
Low
8-10
18in H x 6in W
—
Moderate
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Red-orange petals dusted against silvery foliage create a color combination as striking as a desert sunset. This heirloom poppy blooms prolifically from spring into fall, returning year after year in mild climates, and it flowers so reliably that honeybees and other pollinators seek it out constantly. Direct sowing in early spring or fall is recommended and remarkably simple, and once established, the plant needs almost no supplemental water, thriving on drought alone in the right conditions.
Mikado California Poppies excel in meadow and naturalized landscape plantings where their self-sowing habit can be celebrated. Their long bloom season and pollinator magnetism make them valuable in any garden designed to support bees and other beneficial insects. The striking red-orange color works beautifully as a focal point in cottage gardens or as a mass planting where the silvery foliage and warm blooms create visual drama from a distance.
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Start seeds indoors in containers 4 weeks before your last spring frost date, keeping them at 60-65°F. California poppies have sensitive roots, so indoor starting is not recommended unless necessary; direct sowing is the preferred method.
Direct sow in early spring or fall when soil temperature reaches 50-60°F. In mild-winter zones 8-10, late winter sowing is also effective. Scatter seeds and rake in lightly, pressing them into the soil with a surface sow at 1/8 inch depth. Seeds will sprout in 7-14 days.
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