Poppy

The common poppy, Papaver rhoeas, is a flowering plant in the poppy family, Papaveraceae. It is native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia and has also become widespread in other regions. This annual plant usually grows from seed, develops a slender stem, and produces delicate leaves with deeply divided edges. Its flowers are most often bright red, with four large petals that may have a dark mark near the base.

They open for a relatively short time, and the petals can fall soon after pollination. Once fertilized, the flower develops a distinctive capsule containing many tiny seeds. When the capsule dries, small openings near its top allow the seeds to escape, often helped by the movement of the plant in the wind. Common poppies thrive in open, sunny places and are often associated with cultivated fields, roadsides, and disturbed ground.

Their seeds can remain dormant in the soil and may germinate when the ground is disturbed, which helps explain their traditional association with agricultural landscapes. Bees and other insects visit the flowers, mainly collecting pollen because common poppies generally do not produce nectar. The plant is also an important source of food for some insects and birds.

Although the common poppy belongs to the same genus as the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, the two plants should not be confused. Common poppy seeds are sometimes used as food, but the plant is not cultivated as a source of opium. In gardens, the species is grown mainly for its flowers and its ability to establish easily from seed in suitable conditions.