Top 10 locations of California poppy meadows

Little sun

California poppy belongs to a family of poppies. It certainly looks like a typical poppy with its bright colored cup of large, fragile petals and ternately divided, segmented leaves. It is hard to describe the color of this flower to those who have not seen it in life – it is a brilliant, clear orange or light orange color. This hue is of rare beauty and has given a deserved fame to this flower.

California poppies flower in spring – in late February – April. Often there happens a repeated flowering in autumn, September.

These flowers love grassy, open areas. Such are the arid grasslands of Californian intermontane valleys, seaside meadows, or talus of steep hillsides. In good conditions, flowers can be perennial, in colder conditions – annual. These poppies love sun and sandy, well-drained soil. They often re-colonize clearances after forest fires. Flowers are drought-resistant – in spring they cover areas which in summer seem to be nearly lifeless.

Before the night the flowers close and do not open if the weather is cloudy. This is an important factor when considering a visit to California poppy meadows.

California poppy is highly variable. Some specialists divide them into a number of subspecies or even distinct species.

Discovery of poppy fields

California was visited by white people for several centuries but only in the early 19th century, the bright orange poppy was described by scientists.

In the early 19th century Russian Empire organized several rather successful voyages around the world. Thus the empire extended the political and economical contacts. During such voyages groups of scientists traditionally were taken aboard. Brig “Rurik” made its trip in 1815 – 1818. The botanist of the team was German Adelbert von Chamisso but entomologist – Baltic German from the present-day Estonia Friedrich von Eschscholtz. Both became close friends during the expedition. When Chamisso described the beautiful orange Californian flower, he named the plant after his friend – Eschscholzia californica Cham. Letter “t” from the family of Eschscholtz somehow was lost.

Orange meadows

Great naturalist John Muir wrote in his memoirs: “Go where I would, east or west, north or south, I still plashed and rippled in flower-gems”. In 1868 he was privileged to see something that we won’t see anymore: the endless, 400 miles long and 30 miles wide “sea” of spring flowers of Central Valley in California. Most of this unique grandeur is gone now, meadows have been replaced by pastures, roads, and buildings.

California poppy meadows belong to the most impressive wildflower displays of the world. Their unusually clear and brilliant color seems to come from another, better reality. This flower has created a passion that is rare elsewhere in the world. Many Californians are obsessed with “wildflower hunting” – search of beautiful meadows, photographing, and just pure enjoyment of beauty. There are quite many species of wildflowers and many people here enjoy learning to distinguish them. This is a really nice retreat from the stressed rhythm of city life.

Conservation of meadows

Law prohibits picking or uprooting a California poppy in wild. But sometimes really nice poppy meadow without hiking trails might soon get a dense net of trails. If one car stops at the roadside and people walk out in the meadow, soon there stop ten more cars and people disperse in the meadow.

Due to this Wondermondo advises enjoying poppies in places which are suited for this: Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, trails around Figueroa Mountain, Hite Cove trail, Point Buchon Trail. Although there might be more people, there are also more chances to see untouched poppy meadows.

Visitors face one potential danger while walking in California poppy meadows: rattlesnakes. Maybe there is little chance to meet them in late February – March, but you never know.

Links

• California State Parks. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR, accessed on February 21, 2010
• California Poppy Festival, yearly event in Lancaster devoted to poppies, accessed on February 28, 2010
• California’s Esteemed Golden Poppy, Gardenguides.com, accessed on February 28, 2010