Eschscholzia californica Thai Silk Series

RHS Plant Profile
California poppy Thai Silk Series

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California poppy Thai Silk Series RHS
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Annual Biennial

Thai Silk Series are annuals with attractively dissected, blue-green foliage and single or more often semi-double flowers 4-6cm wide, in a range of shades of cream, yellow, orange, pink and red, sometimes with a cream centre

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Papaveraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Eschscholzia can be annuals or perennials, with finely divided leaves and solitary, long-stalked, poppy-like yellow, orange or red flowers, followed by conspicuous long seed-pods
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Will thrive in poor, well-drained soil but they need full sun for the flowers to open. Can be grown as a drought-tolerant container plant. Good for exposed or coastal areas

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in succession from mid-spring onwards

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free