Caltrans or Local California?

poppies

The true variety of local poppies are golden like sunshine puddled onto grass.  And the ones planted by Caltrans or purchased at nurseries are orange like a rich Oriental Silk. Which do you prefer?

If I could only have one, I’d pick the yellow sunshine poppies but, I love them all.

All?

Yes, all–because the natives and imports mingled pollen and produced some amazing combinations of gold and orange together.  You can see a few of the variegated in the lower left of my photo.

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Photo taken yesterday not far from the Sawblade in Phillipsville.

Thanks, Will.

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bluelaker4
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bluelaker4
15 years ago

I can’t help myself, I love all deep yellow flowers whether poppies or roses…well, except for dandelions.

Staff
Member
15 years ago

I have a secret passion for dandelions, too. I love blowing the fairy puffs and watching the seeds scatter.

Ernie's Place
Guest
15 years ago

Dandelions make great wine too… but that’s another subject. So how did you know how to spell dandelion? I always spell it with a “Y” in the middle.

We have one or two poppy plants here in Benbow that are almost completely white. They also bloom later in the year. What’s up with that? They look exactly the same, other than the white blossoms.

The one thing that make poppy’s different from most other flowers is the fact that they will fold up and wilt if you pick them. So, your lover is not going to be too impressed that you picked her flowers if you pick her poppys.

Auntie Mayme
Guest
15 years ago

I love California Poppies!

Staff
Member
15 years ago

I used to love as a child sliding their little dunce caps off and freeing the petals.

California poppies embody innocence and joy. Oriental poppies are their seductive cousins!

Ernie, white poppies are pretty rare I think, though I have seen some. Here is a pic (scroll down) and little blurb)

BEN
Guest
BEN
15 years ago

I have a few white poppies out on the Nielsen Ranch. At least I think I do. I grew up in Pasadena next to a hill called Poppy Peak. In the olden days it was so covered with poppies that it could be seen out to sea. That was before smog and houses covered it up. On top of Poppy Peak you could always find Anise Swallowtails.

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Ben, will you please start a blog? Your vignettes are like poetry! AND, you know way more about local history than I do.

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