By Barbara Falconer Newhall
They’re big. They’re fat. They’re lush. And they’re orange.
They’re a richer, darker color than I’ve ever seen in the Bay Area. They’re California’s Golden Poppies — but this year’s crop looks to be more orange than golden. I spotted this bunch growing — wild? — in a Berkeley front yard last week.
It’s been a rainy, rainy, rainy winter in California — does that explain the super-saturated hues? Or am I looking at different varieties of Eschscholzia californica? Either way, all that rain is creating Super Blooms on hillsides across the state right now.
The Golden State’s Golden Poppies
Eschscholtzia californica became California’s state flower in 1903 — echoing the state’s golden reputation for the 19th century gold rush. This poppy grows wild all over the state, and because it seems to like ample sun and good drainage, these wildflowers are famous for filling entire hillsides — mountainsides, even — with their brilliant yellow-orange hue. The seeds can live as long as eight years, which maybe explains why they can survive a California drought — and still put on an extravagant display such as Southern California is seeing right now.
There’s no state law protecting Golden Poppies. But there’s no need for one. These plants grow like weeds wherever there’s plenty of sun, terrible soil, and not too much moisture.
I’ll be hiking Mt. Tamalpais next week, and I’m hoping my hiking pal and I will catch a big display. If not, there’s always that sidewalk in Berkeley.
More blossoms at “Flowers Bursting From the Dirt — How Do They Do It?”
Birder Alert
If wildflowers aren’t your thing, but birds are, check out the photos at BirdNote.org. My favorites are the photos of the Double-Crested Cormorant. As if the dappling of blue dots around this bird’s eyes weren’t extravagance enough, the Double-Crested Cormorant has evolved the inside of its beak to a brilliant blue. What will the bird gods think up next?
If you like your animals four-footed and furry, read about “‘Dog Medicine’ — A Dog Lover’s Journey From Depression to Health.”
