Arizona poppy is a cheery wildflower that comes to life with the monsoon rains. They are always a treat to behold mid-summer, since most desert wildflowers bloom in the spring. Here’s how to establish and care for this Sonoran Desert native.
Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora) is a desert wildflower with fern-like leaves that’s a lot tougher than it looks. This Sonoran Desert native appears in abundance after summer monsoon rains. When in bloom, plants are peppered with showy yellow-orange flowers.
It’s a summer annual which means that plants germinate in response to the monsoon rains and bloom in the summer. (Most desert wildflowers bloom in the spring.)
Arizona poppy blooms during the monsoon season, not in the spring during the massive wildflower bloom. (A few similar looking plants, California poppy and Mexican poppy, flower then.) It’s often included in seed packets called “monsoon mix” which include other wildflowers that bloom during the monsoon.
Arizona poppies are nearly carefree. Provided you’ve had typical monsoon rains, plants can survive on rainwater alone. They are well-behaved in the garden and reseed manageably, not aggressively.
Arizona poppy is an important plant for wildlife. Seed-loving birds, especially doves and quail, enjoy its seeds. The flower’s deep red center reflects ultraviolet rays which attracts insects seeking nectar or pollen including bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies.
Why I Like This Plant
- Cheerful orange flowers
- Blooms in the summer
- Reseeds manageably
- Extremely low maintenance
- Important food source for birds
- Attracts pollinators
Things to Watch Out For
If you want Arizona poppies, you’ll need to grow them from seed, since nurseries rarely (if ever) carry plants. Here are some places you can buy desert wildflower seeds, including a few that will ship them to you.
It’s an annual with a fast life cycle, so it’s an ephemeral wonder to enjoy during its brief appearance.
Some years plants don’t reseed. They germinate when the conditions are right. Fortunately, the seeds can remain viable in the ground for years.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding Arizona poppies to your garden, you need to find a suitable place where they will thrive and keep coming back every year.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Arizona poppies should ideally be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. As a Sonoran Desert native, these plants have no problem handling desert heat. Since they are short-lived summer annual that only last a season, cold is not a concern.
Sun Exposure
Arizona poppies are tough desert survivors that can handle true full sun. That’s why you’ll find them growing in inhospitable places, such as along roadsides and in disturbed areas.
Size and Growth Rate
Once they sprout, they grow fast. These annuals play out their entire life cycle in only a few months. When fully grown, they typically reach a size of 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide.
Soil
Arizona poppy grow well in any soil — sandy, rocky, or clay — provided it’s well-draining. In their native habitat they grow in desert scrub, grasslands, and sandy washes.
Other Location Considerations
Arizona poppies have no thorns, stickers, or irritating hairs, are non-toxic, and low-litter, you can feel comfortable growing them where they might come in contact with people or pets.
If you have the room, plant them in drifts. En masse, the effect is beautiful!
Arizona poppies’ lacy foliage and vivid flowers contrast beautifully when planted near boulders or spiky desert plants.
Arizona Poppy:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Arizona poppy |
| Scientific Name | Kallstroemia grandiflora |
| Origin | Chihuahuan, Sonoran Deserts |
| Plant Type | Summer annual |
| USDA Zones | Zones 8 – 11 |
| Flower Color | Yellow-orange |
| Flower Season | Summer |
| Mature Size | 1′ high x 3’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Garden Friendly | No thorns, low litter non-toxic |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees, birds |
Growing Arizona Poppy From Seed
Unlike most wildflower seeds which are sown in the fall, Arizona poppy seeds should be sown in spring or summer before the monsoon arrives.
And unlike many wildflower seeds that you can just “sow and grow,” growing this wildflower from seed requires an additional step.
Seeds will wait to germinate until conditions are “just right” and that can take up to a few years. You can speed up the process by scarifying the seeds before planting. (You can learn the various ways to scarify seeds here.)
Once you’ve prepared your seeds, rough up the soil, sprinkle seeds on top and then water in. In a good year, you can let the summer rains take care of providing the moisture needed to germinate. However, if the rains are passing you by, water every few weeks to emulate normal rain patterns both before and after seeds sprout.
You can buy seeds, harvest them from your own plants, or gather them, provided you do so responsibly. Please see A Guide to Collecting and Growing Sonoran Desert Wildflowers. This brochure published by the Native Arizona Plant Society will tell you everything you need to know about collecting and sowing wildflower seeds.
Pro Tip!
Increase your chances of having more plants next year.
Let some plants naturally reseed and
harvest some of your own seeds to sow next summer.
How to Care for Arizona Poppy
This section is short since Arizona poppy don’t require much care. In fact, care guidelines are more about what not to do.
They do not need to be fertilized or mulched. They should not be on irrigation. Rainwater should provide your seeds and plants with all the water they need. If you experience a prolonged dry spell, you can hand water every few weeks.
Don’t Confuse Arizona Poppy With…
Arizona poppy is often confused with two other southwest desert wildflowers.
California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica). Once you know what to look for it’s, not hard to tell this apart since it has yellow flowers and blooms in the spring.
Mexican gold poppy (Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana). This is a subspecies of California poppy and is the quintessential desert poppy that has vivid, true orange flowers. Fields of it are commonly seen, admired, and photographed in the spring.
Plant Lover Facts
Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora) also goes by the common names desert poppy, Mexican poppy, summer poppy, and orange caltrop. In spite of all the poppy names, it is not a poppy and is not even in the poppy family (Papaveraceae). Arizona poppy is a member of the Zygophyllaceae family, which also includes the desert shrub creosote.
Arizona poppy’s native range includes Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, but it has naturalized in parts of California.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
Photo Credits
Bettina Arrigoni, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Miwasatoshi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons