Each spring people flock to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in hopes of seeing the official state flower bloom in all its radiant and fragrant glory. But how did the California poppy become our official state flower? Back in 1890, the California State Floral Society held an election to pick the state’s signature flower. There were 3 choices: The Mariposa Lily, the Matilija Poppy, and the obvious front runner, the California Poppy. I mean, it already had California in its name.
It took more than a decade for the legislature to make it official, but in 1903 the California Poppy became the official state flower. In 1974 April 6th was designated as California Poppy Day, and since 1993, an annual California Poppy Festival has been held in Lancaster. If you’re lucky enough to find the poppies blooming, don’t be a jerk and ruin it for everyone else. Don’t step off trails and trample them; don’t pick them. Just take pictures as souvenirs, so the rest of your fellow Californians can enjoy them.
References:
“California Poppy, Eschsolzia Californica” | Biodiversity Atlas of LA
“Why is the California Poppy the State Flower” by Sanden Totten, LAist. April 25, 2014.