RHS Plants
RHS Plants

Shop

Information & Help

My account

Eschscholzia californica 'Carmine King'

Californian poppy

20% off
Perfect for pollinators New
Product Image
Eschscholzia californica ‘Carmine King’ is a compact annual with finely cut, blue-green foliage and upright stems topped with silky, cup-shaped flowers in rich carmine pink. The blooms open wide in sunshine, creating a bold splash of colour that works beautifully in borders, gravel gardens or dotted through veg plots to attract pollinators.

Easy to grow and happiest in full sun with free-draining soil, it’s ideal for low-maintenance planting and copes well in lean conditions. Sow directly where it’s to flower and let it settle in for a natural, relaxed look.

For cut flowers, pick in the early morning while still in bud to enjoy them indoors for longer.

How to care for Eschscholzia californica Carmine King:

Choose a site in full sun with well-drained soil; they thrive in poor, sandy ground and don’t need enriched compost or ground. Water sparingly once established, as they are drought-tolerant and dislike waterlogged soil. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. Little to no feeding is required, as too much fertiliser encourages leaves rather than flowers.

Sowing instructions:

Prepare the bed well and sow Californian poppy seeds shallowly into drills from March to May where they are to flower. When large enough to handle thin out the seedlings to 10-15cm (6in) apart, taking care not to damage the tap roots of the retained seedlings. Water when necessary, but avoid excessively wet conditions. Seeds sown in late summer and early autumn will flower earlier than those sown in spring.
Flowering period:
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Eventual height:
0.25m
Eventual spread:
0.25m
Position:

Full sun

Rate of growth:

Fast-growing

Soil:

Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

Fully hardy

Product options

1
Delivery options (pick your preferred option at checkout)
Seed Packets (only)£2.99

Goes well with
Add to wishlist

Papaver dubium subsp. lecoqii 'Albiflorum'

Beth's poppy

From £2.39
View options
Add to wishlist

Dianthus 'Moulin Rouge' (PBR)

pink

From £6.39
View options
Add to wishlist

Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low'

catnip

From £7.19
View options
Add to wishlist

Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta 'Blue Cloud'

lesser catmint

From £7.99
View options
Add to wishlist

Erodium × variabile 'Bishop's Form'

storksbill ( syn. Bishops Form )

From £6.39
View options
Add to wishlist

Scabiosa caucasica 'Perfecta Mid Blue' (Perfecta Series)

pincushion flower

From £7.99
View options
Become an RHS Member today and save 30% on your first year
Join now

Keep in touch

View our Privacy Policy
Contact us
Cookies
Terms
Privacy

© RHS Enterprises Limited 2026
Registered in England & Wales No. 01211648. | VAT No. GB461532757 | Registered Office: 80 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PE.

All sales help fund the charitable work of the RHS.