Every state has an official state flower. Do you know what the state flower for California is? Well, it’s our job to know as a California florist. It’s the golden poppy. We put a blog together to share more about this special flower found throughout California.
This flower goes by many names: Golden Poppy, California Poppy, or California Golden Poppy. It is a perennial wild flower that is seen on many of California’s rolling hills and grassy or sandy slopes, and it is known for its flaming color. Some have even referred to it as the cup of gold. It’s been our state flower since 1903.
Each year, there are special celebrations to celebrate the poppy, including California Poppy Day on April 6th and Poppy Week from May 13-18, with special festivals and events throughout the state as the poppy comes into bloom for the season, typically from February to September each year.
The golden poppy is about two to three inches in diameter and comes in various colors, including scarlet, rose, white, terra cotta, bronze and, of course, gold. They typically have four fan-shaped petals and numerous stamens with fern-like leaves on long stalks. Besides California, the poppy is also found all the way to the southern part of Washington and as far east as Texas.
The poppy is often used in landscaping but was also used by the California Indians as a source of food and oil that was extracted from the plant. The unripe seed pods are a source for opium and other drugs in that same class. The maw seed of the poppy is used as birdseed as well as flavoring for baking. The seed can also be used in a ground state for flour. Poppy oil can also be used for other things besides cooking, such as varnishes, paints, and soaps.
In terms of symbolism, the poppy also represents the dead and sleep.
When putting together a beautiful, colorful, California themed arrangement, the poppy provides a pop of bright hues throughout the arrangement, creating a cheerful and sunny look for whatever occasion the flower arrangement is being used for – as a gift, as a centerpiece, or as décor.
Check with us on how we can incorporate the poppy into a custom flower arrangement for you.
