California poppy

Pink

The feathery foliage is finely cut and grows from a central rosette. In the spring, long stalks appear from the centre of the rosette to bear the flower. These are followed by long seed pods that split lengthwise when ripe to shed numerous seeds.

The cup shapped flowers have brilliant colours, usually orange but there are hybrid varieties with white, pink, scarlet and purple hues. The flowes only open in full sun and close again at sunset. One can quite easily witness this if one brings a potted plant that has opened flowers into a shaded area. Within half an hour, the flowers will have closed halfway.

This is the state flower of California. It is used by Native Americans as a medicinal plant - works like poppy but minus the narcotic effects of opium.

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See also:  Ornamentals

Pink - Bud Pink - Opening Pink Pink

Orange - Bud Orange