Argemone Grandiflora Prickly Poppy Lovely Flower
PRICKLY POPPY
The 4-in wide white flowers of Argemone grandiflora have a lovely satiny sheen and ochre-yellow stamens with a striking, deep-red stigma disc. Their resemblance to species of papaver is striking except that the stems, buds, and especially the fruit of prickly poppies are provided with prickles which harden viciously as they ripen. The pointed, spiky, sea-green leaves have lighter veins and this pattern of veins differs from that of some other, closely related prickly poppies. In other respects, Argemone platyceras, Argemone polyanthemos, and Argemeno squar-rosa closely resemble Argemone grandiflora. The plants grow to about 20 in tall.
They grow naturally in the hot, arid regions of Mexico and the southern states of the US Sow indoors in March-April, but in such a way that the seedlings including their root balls may be put out-of-doors at the end of May, because the roots must not be damaged It may be better to sow directly in the open after mid-April.
