Bloomipedia
Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora)
Photo: Sue Carnahan via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Arizona poppy

Kallstroemia grandiflora

Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora) is a flowering plant in the Zygophyllaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–October across the U.S.

Native to Arizona

Arizona poppy is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arizona it's most often seen in bloom in August–October.

4states where USDA records it
2,760AZ sightings*
3,021U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona

Quick look

Kallstroemia grandiflora, the Arizona poppy, is a species of summer annual herb inhabiting the deserts of the Southwestern United States, California, and northern Mexico. It is not related to true poppies.

  • It belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. NatureServe
  • In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,760 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #32 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Arizona, most flowering sightings come in August–October.

Flowering records by month in Arizona (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (242 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Arizona
Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records Arizona poppy in 4 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, Yuma.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 16 counties across 4 states; the most are in Arizona (7), Texas (6), New Mexico (2).

More from the Zygophyllaceae family (2 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Creosote bush, Puncture vine.

More Arizona flowers

Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata)

Creosote bush

Larrea tridentata

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: March–April
Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

★ AZ state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in AZ: April–June
Fishhook barrel cactus (Ferocactus wislizeni)

Fishhook barrel cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: August–September

Sources