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Glite Dictionary
California tree poppy

California tree poppy

7.4
A tall bush with many branches, native to California and Mexico, with silvery-blue leaves and large fragrant white flowers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : pavón de California
  • Gardeners prize the California tree poppy for its silvery foliage and showy white blooms.

Examples

  • The California tree poppy adds a striking presence to drought-tolerant gardens.

  • I planted a California tree poppy in my garden last spring.

  • We saw a beautiful California tree poppy in full flower during our trip to southern California.

  • The California tree poppy is known for its beautiful flowers.

  • Gardeners prize the California tree poppy for its silvery foliage and showy white blooms.

  • The California tree poppy adds a striking presence to drought-tolerant gardens.

  • We saw a beautiful California tree poppy in full flower during our trip to southern California.

Synonyms

Romneya coulteri
vsCalifornia tree poppy
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall branching shrub with silvery blue leaves and large white fragrant flowers

is the more familiar common name rather than the scientific form
matilija poppy
vsCalifornia tree poppy
  • US
9.9

A tall plant with silvery-blue leaves and large fragrant white flowers

is the regional common name variant rather than a formal scientific label

Surface Forms

California tree poppy singular
California tree poppies plural

Morphology

California + tree + poppy

The phrase is fully compositional: 'California' indicates origin/location, 'tree' signals a tree-like or tall form, and 'poppy' names the flowering plant, so a learner who knows those words can infer it is a tree-like poppy associated with California. This follows common place-name + noun and noun-compound patterns found across languages, making the meaning immediately accessible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

California tree poppy gets its name from where it grows and how it looks: California for its native region, and tree + poppy because it grows like a small tree and has large, poppy-like white flowers. So the name helps you picture a tall, showy shrub with silvery leaves and fragrant blooms.