Eschscholzia californica Aurantiaca orange

The organic orange Eschscholzia aurantiaca is a variety of California Poppy or Eschscholzia californica, whose bright orange flowering in spring illuminates borders and flower beds with a stunning colour. It dries up in summer and restarts in autumn to offer a second bloom. A short-lived perennial, the California Poppy is grown as an annual but self-seeds spontaneously in light soil. It forms a clump of highly cut ornamental foliage, bluish-green. Equally, at ease in rock gardens and waterless gardens, this plant enthusiastically tolerates heat, drought, and poor soils.

The organic orange Eschscholzia aurantiaca is a selection derived from Eschscholzia californica, an annual plant with a short lifespan, native to California and the southwest United States. This plant with a taproot quickly forms a clump of foliage measuring 20 to 30 cm in all directions. Its leaves are pinnate, finely cut, with a colour ranging from bluish-green to greyish-green, particularly attractive, highlighting that of the flowers. The flowering occurs from spring to summer, and even until autumn, depending on the sowing date and climate. The 5-6 cm cup-shaped flowers, with a silky texture, reflect the sun and only open if it is generous. This flowering is melliferous and nectariferous. It is followed by the formation of long, slender, glaucous green capsules, containing tiny seeds. Spontaneous seedlings are not uncommon in light soil.

The California Poppies are a boon for dry gardens, rock gardens, and coastal gardens. They are sown in perennial beds, natural areas of the garden, or even in pots. They are perfect plants for low-maintenance or weekend gardens. Mix their seeds with those of cornflowers and scabious to quickly create a country-style bed or a flowered strip. Their vibrant and warm colours are splendid alongside the blue of love-in-a-mist or the mauve blue of Echinops ritro or Globe Thistle. They are beautiful but short-lived in bouquets.