Channel Islands poppy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Channel Islands poppy
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Papaveraceae
Genus:	Eschscholzia
Species:	E. ramosa
Binomial name
Eschscholzia ramosa Greene
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The Channel Islands poppy (scientific name: Eschscholzia ramosa) is a type of poppy flower. It is also known as the island poppy.

This special plant only grows in a few places. You can find it on the Channel Islands near Southern California in the United States. It also grows on Guadalupe Island off the coast of Baja California in Mexico. When a plant only grows in one specific area, it is called endemic to that place.

The Channel Islands poppy usually grows in areas called chaparrals. These are places with dry summers and mild, wet winters, often filled with shrubs and small trees.

What Does the Channel Islands Poppy Look Like?

The Channel Islands poppy is a wildflower that grows every year (it's an annual plant). It starts from a clump of green leaves. These leaves are divided into smaller, rounded sections.

Its straight stems can grow up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) tall. At the top of these stems, you'll find bright poppy flowers. Each flower has yellow petals that are about 0.5 to 2 centimeters (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long. Often, these petals have small orange spots near their bases.

After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit that looks like a long capsule. This capsule is usually 4 to 7 centimeters (1.6 to 2.8 inches) long. Inside, it holds many tiny, brown seeds that have a netted pattern.

Sometimes, this poppy can look very similar to another type of poppy called Eschscholzia elegans. Because they look so alike, people sometimes mistake one for the other.