California Poppy 'Mexican gold'

Keep in mind when planting that Mexican gold is thought of as very hardy, so this plant will survive though longer winters with little or no damage.

Seeds are often self-sowed and apparently can be blown in with high winds. Naturalized in many areas.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Mexican gold is a very hardy plant.

In El Paso, Texas, this variety was purchased and sown on a large scale as a publicity stunt by local businessman, W. G. Roe. The poppies were seen as a possible tourist attraction for the area. In May of 1931, the city’s Franklin Mountains were seeded, possibly by local Boy Scouts, U.S. Army Soldiers and Soldiers’ wives from Ft. Bliss. ¹

Franklin Mountain Poppies, Desert Poppies, gold poppies

¹ Long, T. (12 March 2012). Gold poppies first took root in El Paso’s past. El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas. Retrieved from http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_20145243/trish-long-gold-poppies-first-took-root-el on 4 April 2013.