Stats

Lifespan: Annual
Size: Medium
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Temperate grassland
Range: Mediterranean
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Uncommon

About

The opium poppy unfurls large, tissue-papery blooms in shades of pink, purple, red, and white, each flower lasting just a day or two before shedding its petals to reveal an ornamental grey-green seed pod. Cultivated for over 5,000 years, the dried latex from its unripe capsules is the source of medicinal opium — yet its tiny seeds are harmless and a beloved topping in breads and pastries worldwide.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Papaveraceae
Genus: Papaver
Species: Papaver somniferum