California Poppy Plant Profile

California Poppy Plant Profile

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a wildflower. They have bright orange, yellow, white, or rose-colored  flowers that bloom in late spring. The foliage is a distinctive  blue-green with a feathery, lacey texture.

They are also known as golden poppy, California sunlight, or cup of gold. They are the official state flower of California and are native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. They are hardy to USDA zones 8-10.

They need a location with at least 6 hours of full, direct sun.

California Poppy prefers fast-draining, poor to average soil; avoid heavy, wet clay, which causes root rot.

Direct-sowing is best, as they dislike root disturbance. Scatter seeds on prepared soil. There is no need to cover them with soil or mulch.

In the Mid-Atlantic, we grow them as a cool-season annual. In our region, it is best to direct-sow California Poppy  seeds in late autumn for early spring growth -- or in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.

Water them sparingly. They are drought-tolerant once established.

They generally do not need to be fertilized as too much fertilizer reduces blooms.

To encourage more flowers, remove the spent blooms, but leave a few up to self-seed for next year. 

They are generally considered to be deer-resistant due to their bitter taste and toxicity. 

California Poppies attract native bees and many other pollinators.

California  Poppy: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Additional Video and Editing by Aicha Bangoura

 

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If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Borage Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/borage-plant-profile.html

~ Calendula Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/02/calendula-plant-profile.html

~ Yarrow Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/06/yarrow-plant-profile.html

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Win two pairs of tickets to a showing of The Gardener on May 20 in our May 2026 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our May 2026 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away two pairs of tickets to a showing of The Gardener on Wednesday, May 20, at the Miracle Theater in Washington, DC (a $30 value).

   The Gardener is a fictional movie. A powerful cosmetics heiress retreats to a remote mountaintop garden cottage while fighting to protect her family legacy. An unexpected connection with a mysterious gardener leads her on a soulful journey of healing, self-discovery, and transformation. You can listen to our interview with the film’s director at https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-281-healing.html.

    As a bonus prize, anyone who buys a ticket to this showing is entered into a drawing to win The Gardener Book and a $100 gift certificate for flower bulbs. See more about the movie at https://themiracletheatre.com/events/the-gardener/.

   To enter to win one of the pairs of tickets, send an email by 5:00pm on Friday, May 15 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “The Gardener Movie” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us about your favorite movie featuring gardens in it. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on May 16. Replies might be published. 

Monday Thoughts: "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." ~ Lao Tzu

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." 

~ Lao Tzu

GardenDC Podcast Episode 284: Summer Bulbs

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with horticulturist Peggy Anne Montgomery of the Garden Media Group about Summer Bulbs. The plant profile is on Lamb's Ear and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "The Easiest Mushrooms to Grow" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 104: Dahlias

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-104-dahlias.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 127: Unusual and Specialty Bulbs

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-127-unusual.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 233: Buttercups

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-233-whats-up.html

Show Notes will be posted after 4/7/2026.

Win $100 worth of bulbs from https://flowerbulb.eu/! To enter, go to https://www.youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine and comment on this podcast episode there. You have until June 12, 2026. to enter. 

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mxrY0MuRJnlwPCewYoEDU?si=289-4RXoRmWZ4KBtT3F3CQ

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We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Dill Seedlings

 
This week was another week of hardly any rain -- a big storm was promised, but we didn't get much here. Temps were cool and windy.

I harvested Asparagus, Cilantro, and Lettuce. I offered bunches of Cilantro on my local Buy Nothing group thinking they might want them for Cinco de Mayo - -so far, no takers!

Pictured at right are the Blackberries that are forming. I checked on the Strawberries and they are settling in.

The intern's Kale and Lettuce plants are doing fine and should be ready to harvest next week. 

The Dill seedlings (shown above) need thinning and I did a bit of weeding, but need to do much more.

I still see no sign of the Dahlia plants, so fear they did not make it through the harsh winter. 

In the pollinator strip, I found Borage and Brazilian Verbena seedlings. I will likely seed in some Marigolds and Zinnias there too.

Tomorrow we have a table at the Greenbelt-Beltsville Gardeb Club Plant Sale -- please come by and see us there!

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).

Azalea Plant Profile

Azalea Plant Profile

Azaleas are flowering shrubs that are members of the Rhododendron genus. They are native to North America, Asia, and Europe. Their flowers dazzle in shades of shimmering pinks and pale peaches to deep reds and pure white. Evergreen azaleas are in the subgenus Pentanthera and deciduous azaleas are in the subgenus Tsutsutsi. They are generally hardy to USDA zones 6-9, though there are a few cold-hardy varieties available as well.

You can put together collection of early-, mid-and late-season blooming varieties and have an azalea flowering in your garden for six months or more… and with the newer re-blooming varieties, the flowering season can extend practically all the way through the year.

Plant them in the fall or early spring in a part-sun location where they can attain their full size and you will never need to prune them. They do not love to be in hot afternoon sun and prefer an acidic soil, but basically they are low-maintenance and rewarding shrubs that can live over 100 years.

If you do wish to prune them, do so right after they finish flowering, so you don’t cut off next year’s buds. Remove dead or damaged branches at any time of year.

A mulch of pine bark, pine needles, or wood chips helps to keep moisture in the ground, even out changes in the soil temperature, and keep weeds out. Fertilize azaleas after their spring bloom using a slow-release, acid-loving plant food and water the fertilizer in well. 

Azaleas are easily propagated from cuttings or by layering. Species azaleas can also be grown true from seed .

Pollinators love azaleas. In particular, white-blooming kinds attract nighttime moths and red-blooming ones attract hummingbirds.

Azaleas are long cherished as symbols of spring and renewal. They are extremely popular landscape plants due to their brightly colored blooms, long-lasting flowers, and their ease of cultivation. 2026 is the Year of the Azalea and April is Azalea Month. Find out more about azaleas at the Azalea Society of America website:  https://azaleas.org/.

Azaleas – you can grow that!

2026 is the #yearoftheazalea

And #AprilisAzaleaMonth

Benjamin Y. Morrison, the famed horticulturalist who was the founder and first director of the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC, is noted for cross-breeding different strains of azaleas to produce the Glenn Dale cultivars, which are prevalent today throughout the eastern United States. Morrison lived in Takoma Park, MD, and many of his Glenn Dale introductions can be seen throughout the city’s private home gardens and public parks.

You don’t want to miss the seasonal display of azalea in mass plantings at the U.S. National Arboretum. See our list of 20+ more top viewing spots in the Washington, DC, region on our blog at WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com (https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/04/top-local-spots-for-azalea-viewing-best.html).

Updated from a previous version.

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Aicha Bangoura

 

➤ If you enjoy this video please give it a thumbs up and subscribe (thank you!)

➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE
~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com
~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener
~ facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

 

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Aronia: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/05/aronia-chokeberry-plant-profile.html

~ Carolina Allspice: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/05/carolina-allspice-plant-profile.html

~ Mock Orange: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/03/mock-orange-plant-profile.html

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Monday Thoughts: "Every child needs to learn how to cook, learn how to cultivate a garden and plant seeds, learn about sustainability, be taken to a garden and be able to put their hands in the earth." ~ Alice Waters

"Every child needs to learn how to cook, learn how to cultivate a garden and plant seeds, learn about sustainability, be taken to a garden and be able to put their hands in the earth." 

~ Alice Waters

GardenDC Podcast Episode 283: Discovering Garden History at Tudor Place

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with horticulture manager Ella Engstrom about the garden history of Tudor Place. The plant profile is on Canterbury Bells and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "Dividing Rhubarb" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 24: Monticello

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-24-peggy.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 78: Dumbarton Oaks

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/10/gardendc-podcast-episode-78-dumbarton.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 241: Lost Trees and Climate Activism

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-241-lost-trees.html

Show Notes will be posted after 4/28/2026.

This episode is archived at: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LBQuBh6wlFxbOQtzV05xR?si=FixiJbbkRyC-OnMaDVFJ9Q

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We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Bunny Invasion

 
This week was another week of hardly any rain, but instead of record heat - we got an overnight freeze! I had covercloths over all the tender seedlings and everything seemed to pull through fine.I was worried about the flowers getting zapped on the strawberries and blackberries--they look like they are setting fruit and will be okay.

We came to the plot to water and weed today (with temps in the 80s!) and a grown rabbit ran out of the garlic chives and took off across the garden. Then, a few minutes later a baby rabbit ran INTO the plot and hid himself against my fish fertilizer jug (see photo above). I wanted to evict him, but the stinker is too darn cute, so I Iet him stay. He and his mom were likely the ones who ate all my Pea seedlings. I planted new Sugarsnap Peas today and put more wire cages around them to protect them.

I harvested Asparagus, Cilantro, and some Lettuce. The bed shown at right is pre-weeding with the covercloth pulled back. You can see the Cut-and-Come-Again Lettuce in the middle and the Cilantro (already setting flower!) to the right. On the left, is a row of Potato seedlings that are popping up from last year's crop. (Is it just me or do you never, ever get find all the potatoes at harvest time?) I will let them stay and may add some more potatoes in there as the greens there will soon give out in the summer heat.

The Kale and Lettuce seedlings are doing fine. The Radish and Carrot seedlings are not up yet so I may sow new seeds soon.

Dill seedlings have popped up were I had a row of dill plants growing last year. We weeded out most of the dill seedlings, but left a few, and cut back a Mulberry tree that keeps trying to come up there.

In the pollinator strip, the Poppy seedlings are growing quickly. I also really need to weed there--that will have to wait until I get some time next week between garden tours and festivals.

This weekend, we have a booth at the FONA Garden Fair--please come by and see us there!

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).