The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), is the California State Flower. Unlike your average UK poppy, it's orange and at this time of year (May) can be seen blanketing the slopes of the Tehechapi mountains north of LA. So Eve and I drove about 60 miles up I-5 on a Sunday to have a look having called (805) 942-0662 to check they were indeed still in bloom. Peak time is apparently mid-April. There's actually two "official" places to look at them, and we went to both. The first was off I-5 at Quail Lake Road exit, just near Gorman. As soon as you round a corner you see acres of them to the east of the freeway, but you can actually go to the west of the freeway and then stop and walk about. Very few people were there. We did a 5 mile or so hike on some trails that were popular with dirtbikers, ATVs and go-karts. The poppies, and occasional contrasting blue lupins, were sensational. A few artists had set up and were painting landscapes.

On the way home, we drove past the other official spot, nearer Lancaster where there's actually a Visitors Center all about them, but we declined to go in. There were many more people here, but we didn't think the poppies were as good, and by that time, I think we were "poppied out".

Link to some horticultural background and how this flower came to be the California State Flower here.