Drought-Tolerant Poppies

Golden Poppies

• California poppies (schscholzia californica) thrive in arid regions and are extremely drought-tolerant. These bright orange flowers, sometimes called golden poppies, grow well in sandy, well-drained soil. Native to southwestern and western North America, California poppies grow naturally as wildflowers along roadsides and in meadows, reaching 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall. They thrive in heat and struggle once temperatures dip below 20 Fahrenheit. Foliage has a blue-green color. Plant in borders, rock gardens or mixed with other colorful species.

Die-back Poppies

• Oriental poppies turn brown and dry out after a short flowering period. This is their summer dormancy, when the hot, dry parts of the summer cause them to die back, making them a drought-resistant species. Native to central Asia, these flowers evolved this trait to deal with summertime drought there. They produce short-lived, colorful blossoms in red, white, orange or pink that are often spotted in May or June. Plant with late-blooming flowers to maintain a balance in your garden when Oriental poppies die back. They require little maintenance to thrive.

Prickly Poppies

• Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana) is tolerant of both heat and drought. Also known as the goatweed or Mexican thistle, this plant is a member of the poppy family. It has prickly leaf margins and large, yellow flowers. Prickly capsules contain the seeds of the plant. It can be found east of the Colorado Rocky Mountains and is commonly mistaken for a thistle prior to its flowering stage.

White Poppies

• Matilija poppies grow like shrubs with heavy branches and can reach 8 feet tall. They are native to California and thrive in dry washes and canyons and among coastal sage and chaparral. The large white blooms appear from May to July. Their petals look crinkled and grow five to eight to a stem. Growing wildly in arid regions of California, these flowers are drought-resistant and require little care to thrive.