| Plant: An herb with stems up to 2 feet tall. Named for Dr. Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz (1793-1831), a surgeon and naturalist who came with the Russian expeditions to the Pacific Coast in 1816 and 1824. |  |
| Flowers: The 4 satiny, showy, orange petals are up to 2 ½ inches long. At maturity, the seed vessel opens abruptly with an almost audible pop and throws the seed some distance. |     |
| Stem and Leaf: The leaves are dissected into many narrow segments. |  |
| Flowering period: | February to September |
| Use by Indians: | The leaves were used as greens. Pollen was used as a
facial cosmetic. Plant provided a sedative for Indian babies. |
| Use by Spanish Californians: | They made a hair dressing by frying the blossoms in olive oil and adding perfume. They thought it made their hair grow and shine. |
| Can be found here: | Big Canyon, Bayview Nature Trail, Back Bay Drive |
| Native Plant: Yes | Halophyte: No |
| Family Name: Poppy | Click on Picture for enlarged version |
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Date: 10/16/2005
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