Eschscholzia californica

‘Ivory Castle’

IVORY CALIFORNIAN POPPY

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’
IVORY CALIFORNIAN POPPIES 

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’ is simply elegant.

Elegant ivory silk-chiffon 

With silk-chiffon blooms that open creamy-white from lemon buds; and then mature to ivory-white silk with cream anthers.

Ivory silk blooms over grey feather foliage 

While the elegant silken singles are perfectly set-off by ferny blue-green foliage.

So easy & pretty for a hot, dry garden

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’ thrives in heat and dry.
Eschscholzia are desert plants by nature, and so are well adapted to cope with heat, dry, wind and sand – as well as frost.
So they are very water-wise and drought resistant garden plants.

Californian Poppies thrive in desert conditions

Eschscholzia californica are commonly called Californian Poppies, and they do indeed thrive untended in the hot, dry summer conditions of Californian deserts to make a brilliant show. 

Groundcover for seaside or rocky places

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’ basks in Full Sun, enjoys well drained soil, and copes with a wide range of soil types.
So it is perfectly happy in seaside gardens and able to thrive in either sandy or rocky soil, gravel and pots.
And it can be happily left in any hot and dry place to self seed and form a lovely groundcover.

Long blooming with little effort

Eschscholzia produce their flowers for months, from when they begin in mid-spring, right through summer and autumn.
So they make a continual display without much effort from you.
Though make sure you plant them where they get plenty of sun, as they close their flowers in too much shade.

Quick from seed sowing to flowers

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’ is also very quick and easy to raise from seed, and will be in bloom in a very short time after sowing.
Eschscholzia are great plants for children to grow from seed as they get flower rewards so quickly.

Cheerfully self-sowing

Eschscholzia californica is sometimes classified as an annual, particularly in regions with cold winters. However it happily self seeds from year to year.
While also remaining evergreen in warm winter climates.
Eschscholzia californica is non-invasive.
Excess seedlings are easily transplanted when young, or weeded out if your Eschscholzia sows its offspring too enthusiastically.

Self-sowing annual 45cm High flowers x 45cm Wide clump of attractive ferny foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suits beginners & gardening with kids

Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’ seeds are very quick and easy to germinate.
They can be scattered directly in the garden where they are to grow / or raised indoors in small pots for early plants and quick flowering.

Sow indoors for rapid & maximum germination:

Eschscholzia californica is best sown with a tiny pinch of seed in individual small pots.
Because the germinated seedlings resent being pricked out.
So you are best to sow into individual small pots so the clumps of new plants can be transplanted into the garden with only minimal disturbance to the roots.

So first sow Eschscholzia seeds on the surface good quality seed raising mix.
Then only very lightly sprinkle with sieved seed mix. Do not bury the seed.

Now soak the sown small pots in a shallow water bath, so the moisture percolates up from below through to the surface of the mix.

Then place in a warm, well lit place (not in any direct sunlight), or place on a heat mat.
Temperatures of 15-20 degrees C are best for rapid and optimum seed germination.

Continue to keep the seed mix consistently moist by misting from a water-spray bottle.
And covering the pots with a clear lid or plastic bag will also help to maintain consistent moisture.

Seeds germinate in 10 to 30 days approx.

Harden the seedlings off before finally planting out in the garden.

Seed Count: 300 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the seed count and give a generous serve)

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