California Yellow Poppy Seeds

This beautiful California poppy has stunning golden yellow flowers that bloom during the cooler season. ‘Golden West’ California poppy flowers are a favorite of honey bees and wild bees! In Zones 9 and 10, it is best to sow poppies before seasonal winter rains to enjoy flowers in early spring. The 12-18″ flowers easily self-sow for beautiful blooms the following year.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Poppies have a special place in our hearts—California poppies have been the state flower since 1903! There are tons of varieties of poppies, but they all have similar growing requirements. Poppy plants are easy to direct seed or transplant. They enjoy cool temperatures and, in Zones 9 and 10, it is best to sow poppies before the seasonal rains for flowers in early spring.

Zones 2-8

• Best when planted in starter pots 6-8 weeks before planting outside in frost-free spring weather.

Planting Poppy Seeds

• California Yellow Poppy seeds are small and should be sown close to the surface of the soil. Start seeds in a high-quality seed-starting mix if you are starting the seeds indoors in trays or starter pots. Sprinkle them on top of well-moistened soil and cover them with 1/8″ of finely sifted soil. Seeds will germinate in 10-14+ days.
• If you wish to direct sow, sow the seeds in well-worked soil that is finely raked and clear of debris. Cover with 1/8″ of finely-sifted soil. Keep soil moist until the seedlings have emerged. Thin to a spacing of at least 12″ apart.

Growing Poppy

• Poppies require little care. In warm climates, mulch can help keep the soil cool and moist.
• Poppies easily self-sow for beautiful blooms the following year.

Growing Poppy in Containers

• Poppies may be grown in containers. Make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Overcrowding will cause the plant to be unhappy and provide fewer blooms. The larger the container, the more blooms you will get. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.

Harvesting Poppy Flowers

• California Yellow Poppies are beautiful as cut flowers; however, their blooms fade quickly. Harvest flowers early in the morning and immediately place them in a vase of room temperature water for the longest-lasting blooms.

Southern California Pro-tips

• DO NOT overhead water as this promotes disease.
• Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture and keep the soil cool.
• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Poppies grow well with other brightly colored cool-season flowers. They enjoy similar growing conditions as nasturtium and alyssum.
• Love poppy flowers? Try our colorful Shirley Poppy Mix and California Orange Poppy seeds too!

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to poppy flowers at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.

Fill your garden with pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects like bees, moths, and butterflies. Learn more about growing Pollinator Plants in our Garden Wisdom Blog.