Prickly poppy (Argemone polyanthemos)

Features and Characteristics

Argemone polyanthemos, commonly called prickly poppy, is a deep-taprooted annual or biennial that is native to sandy and grassy soils on plains, slopes, foothills and roadsides from Texas and New Mexico north to Wyoming and South Dakota. It has been introduced or has spread to some areas adjacent to the original range, including west of the Rocky Mountains. This species has fewer prickles than most other poppies in the genus, and is particularly distinguished by the absence of prickles on upper leaf surfaces. Plants typically grow to 3’ (less frequently 4’) tall clad with leaves (to 8” long) that are lobed. Leaves and stems are pale blue green. Flowers (3-4” wide) bloom from late spring into summer. Each flower has 4-6 crumpled white petals and a dense center cluster of yellow stamens. Flowers give way to sparsely prickly seed capsules in late summer. Broken stems ooze an orange-yellow sap. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Plants were once used as a cataract treatment.

Genus name comes from the Greek word argemon for a poppy-like plant.

Specific epithet means many flowers.