The birthday flower for the month of August, the poppy, or Papaver somniferum, is one of the most popular wildflowers in the United States. The blooming season starts in late spring and continues into mid-summer. 7) M. grandis‘Betty Sherriff’s Dream Poppy’

Poppies are perfect for gifting to people who have birthdays in August as a birth flower. Not only is the flower right in season at this time, but it is the classic flower that represents the birth month of August. Listed objectively because of its unquestionable beauty, the opium poppy, for better or for worse, is very easy to grow and bears very decorative flowers. a b c d e f Still, Shannon M.; Potter, Daniel (2013). "California Poppy Conundrums: Insights into Relationships within Tribe Eschscholtzieae (Papaveraceae)". Systematic Botany. 38 (1): 104–117. doi: 10.1600/036364413X661872. JSTOR 23362741. S2CID 84687122. The symbolism of this meaningful flower doesn’t end there, though. It can also be seen as a symbol of imagination, messages delivered in mysterious dreams, beauty, success, luxury, extravagance, and even peace in death.Poppies became associated with peace and sacrifice for the greater good after world war 1 broke out in northern France. Shortly after the battle, poppies grew around the bodies of fallen soldiers. They were one of only a few plants that regrew after the war ended. During the 1890s Sarah Plummer Lemmon advocated for the adoption of the golden poppy as the state flower of California, eventually writing the bill passed by the California Legislature and signed by Governor George Pardee in 1903. [25] [26] In this era, the state aimed to construct an external identity grounded in the natural wealth of the region, enticing newcomers and businesses with promises of celebration and prosperity. [15] Publicly, products synonymous with the color gold, such as oranges, wheat, actual gold, and the iconic golden poppy, were strategically employed as influential elements in the endeavor to shape and promote the state. [15] However, long before World War I, the Roman poet Virgil used poppies as a metaphor to describe fallen warriors in his epic tale the Aeneid, written around 25 BC:

AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p.37 . Retrieved February 18, 2018. The California poppy has been used through two methods: fresh petals to create a syrup, and dried petals added to water to make an infusion or boiled for tea. [19] Cultivation [ edit ] Additionally, insufficient research exists on the safety of high doses of California poppy extract. E. californica subsp. mexicana ( E. L. Greene) and Curtis Clark, the Mexican gold poppy, which is found in the Sonoran Desert. Some authorities refer to it as E. Mexicana. [6] [7] These variations in features among Eschscholzia species have led to inconsistencies in species descriptions and identifications. This variation, both within and between species, triggered a surge in Eschscholzia species descriptions, reaching 112 taxa in the early part of the last century. [7] Currently, there are 189 taxonomic descriptions at the species level and below, with 159 type specimens scattered across global herbaria. [7] The shift in recognizing poppy species, known as the " Greene Revolution," initiated a significant reduction in recognized species. [8] Willis Lynn Jepson played a pivotal role by considering the majority of described taxa as mere environmental variations. [9] In his book A Flora of California, published in 1922, he consolidated many of the taxa into Eschscholtzia californica and reduced the total number of taxa within the greater Eschscholtzia genus from around 120 to 12. [10] These bicolour flowers are white with orange, pink or red tinges and streaks that appear progressively darker and more solid at the outer edges.E. californica subsp. californica var. maritima ( E. L. Greene) Jeps., which is found along the coast from Monterey south to San Miguel Island. They are perennial, long-lived, glaucous, short in stature, and have extremely prostrate growth and yellow flowers. Eschscholzia californica 'Apricot Chiffon' (Thai Silk Series)". Royal Horticultural Society, RHS Plant Selector. 2018. Victorians attributed numerous meanings to the flower, most of which varied depending on the color. It was most commonly used to represent loss, extravagance, and deep sleep. However, Japanese and Chinese cultures view poppy flowers as a representation of passionate and deep love in a couple. Poppies symbolize adoration and affection.

Make sure the dirt isn’t too damp, however; otherwise the seeds will rot before they can germinate. Once the area is prepared, scatter the poppy seeds across the surface and gently rake them into the soil. In fact, the California poppy has long been used in folk medicine for its sedative properties ( 4).

According to the National Capital Poison Center, a typical adult dose of California poppy extract is 40 mg twice a day ( 19). However, in Eastern cultures, red flowers like poppies usually symbolize romantic love and success instead, a stark contrast to the solemn Western poppy symbolism.