The California Poppy Bud - 084/365

“Don’t shoot down on flowers,” say the experts.  Rule Breaker.

I’ve never been fascinated with the California poppy but its bud sure is captivating! Blooming February through September, the Poppy does well in drought-tolerant, well-drained, poor soil. In peak season, poppies cover 1,745 acres of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, just north of Los Angeles. Parts of the plant are used for medicine, such as for insomnia, aches, nervous agitation, nerve pain, and bladder and liver diseases, all of which plague me as a Lymie. Perhaps it’s time to change my view of the California Poppy.

California Poppy Bud  (side view)

California Poppy  (bloomed)

The petals close at night. Now that I've seen its bud, it's definitely become more intriguing to me!