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Did you know that the state flower of California is the poppy, specifically the called the California poppy for this reason. Every year in spring, the poppies begin to bloom and create a sea of oranges in the state protected park, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve. Located about an hour and a half from Bakersfield, the Poppy Preserve is a dedicated place that protects this flower annually. The type of bloom actually depends on the weather conditions the poppies live in throughout the duration of time leading up to their bloom. Sometimes when the weather is perfect and ideal, the poppies will bloom in what is known as a super bloom. This is when there really is a sea of oranges.

This year, the blooms are not the best, but there are still flowers to see!

Earlier in the year, people were gearing up for another year of a super bloom, after last year turned out to be one. Southern California had heavy rain at the perfect times to create perfect conditions for the poppies and everyone held their breath to see if more rain would come and put that at risk, and unfortunately that is exactly what happened. In March, just as the poppies were ready to start coming out there was heavy rain on and off. In early April, the Antelope Valley even saw a round of historically late snow that held to the ground quite well, ultimately dooming the poppies. Nonetheless, the scenic views at and around the poppy fields are beautiful!

If you do go to see the poppies, there are some important things to know and remember.

The poppy preserve pushes visitors to follow the “leave-no-trace” practice. This means you quite literally leave no trace of your visit, meaning you need to clean up after yourself and avoid leaving behind any trash or destruction. Additionally, the poppies, as the state flower, are protected by the state. This means that you are not supposed to harm them in any way. When looking at the poppies at the actual preserve, stick to the marked trails and paths only. If you look at the wild poppies outside of the preserve, be sure to be careful when walking and avoid stepping on the delicate flower at all costs.