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Fire Poppy Wikimedia Commons
Papaveraceae

Fire Poppy

Papaver californicum

Renewal after destruction.

Family
Papaveraceae
Genus
Papaver
Native to
California
Bloom season
Spring
Type
Annual
Height
15-60 cm
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Well-drained, sandy
Water
Low
Hardiness
8-10
Lifespan
Annual

Did you know

  • Fire poppies only appear after wildfires, earning them the name 'fire followers'.
  • Their seeds can remain dormant in the soil for decades until activated by fire.
  • Chemicals in smoke and charred wood trigger the seeds to germinate.
  • The flowers are smaller than California poppies and have a distinctive green spot at the base of each petal.
  • They may bloom profusely one year after a fire and then not appear again until the next fire.

Color meanings

0

Renewal

1

Resilience

2

New beginnings

Uses

  • Wildflower gardens
  • Post-fire restoration
  • Conservation