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Thursday - September 25, 2008

From: Abilene, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Propagation of California poppies in Abilene, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I live in Abilene,TX and would like to plant some California Poppies from seed. Is it best to sow these in the fall or wait until the spring? Our winters can produce some cold spells of below 20 degrees, but nothing that lasts for more than a few hours.

ANSWER:

From our webpage on Eschscholzia californica (California poppy), we found these Propagation Instructions:

Description: Plant seeds in the fall directly where poppies are desired, since they do not transplant well. Rake in 1/4. Germination is rapid.
Seed Collection: The fruit is a slender capsule.
Seed Treatment: Seeds germinate without pretreatment.

From the Floral Genome Project, this article on the California Poppy will give you some more information on the conditions where these plants will grow. With additional water in dry spells, they should do very well in your part of the state, and the cold periods you have should not damage them. In good conditions, they are said to grow taproots and perennialize, but ordinarily they are considered annuals. They will readily reseed themselves, or you can seed more next year.