Eschscholzia californica (California poppy, "Hanabishiso")

Japanese name: ハナビシソウ （花菱草）
Scientific name: Eschscholzia californica

[Overview]
An annual or short-lived perennial 30–60 cm tall.
The stems and leaves are tinged with a powdery white.
The stems branch well, and the base creeps slightly along the ground.
Leaves are alternate and finely divided.
Flowers are borne singly on long stalks from the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem, and are 4-petaled, about 5–8 cm across.
The flowers are usually yellow to orange, but there are horticultural varieties with a wide range of colors as well as semi-double forms.
The flowers open during the day and close on cold, cloudy or rainy days and at night.
The fruit is a slender capsule 7.5–10 cm long.

[Uses]
Although poisonous, the whole plant is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It has a taproot and dislikes being transplanted, so sow directly or sow in pots and transplant in spring.
Crowded plants flower poorly and are more prone to diseases such as root rot, so thin them to about 30 cm apart.
Cold tolerance is -5°C, so when sowing in autumn, protect from frost in winter.
It prefers a sunny, well-ventilated site with well-drained soil.
It dislikes heat and humidity.
Take care not to let it become too wet; for potted plants, water thoroughly once the soil has dried, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
If a basal fertilizer is applied, no further feeding is particularly necessary; too much fertilizer makes the plants leggy and prone to falling over.
Pests and diseases include root rot, downy mildew and damping-off.

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