Description

The pale scarlet Prickly poppy is rarer and smaller than the Common poppy. It is our only species of poppy with an elongated club shaped seed capsule sparsely covered in bristles. The other species with a bristly capsule is the rarer and more local Rough poppy but it has a more rounded capsule and a deep crimson flower. Flowers from May to July.

Habitat Information

Prickly poppy is an annual of arable crops most frequently found on free draining sandy or chalky soils. It rarely exists in large numbers and where it is found it is usually present in small groups around the edges of fields and in unsprayed corners.

Growing Information

Probably best sown in the autumn. Seed can live for a very long time in the soil, waiting for conditions to be right before germinating (usually between September to November or from March to April).
As with all cornfield annuals prickly poppy requires ground subject to yearly disturbance if it is to persist.