Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Papaver somniferum
opium poppy
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across various parts of North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Waste areas, roadsides, and other disturbed areas.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees

Description:
General:

Glaucous annual, the usually simple stems 3-10 dm. tall, glabrous below.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, sessile and cordate-clasping, shallowly lobed, the lobes toothed, the margins somewhat crinkly.

Flowers:

Flowers single on long, bristly, terminal peduncles; sepals 2, separately early-deciduous; petals 4, white to purple, large, wavy-margined; stamens numerous; style absent, stigma sessile, disk-like, with 5-15 round, stigmatic ridges.

Fruits:

Capsule glabrous, sub-globose, 2.5-5 cm. long.

Accepted Name:
Papaver somniferum L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 508. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Papaver somniferum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Papaver somniferum checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Papaver somniferum information.

E-Flora BC: Papaver somniferum atlas page.

CalPhotos: Papaver somniferum photos.

USDA Plants: Papaver somniferum information.

19 photographs:
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