Papaver nudicaule L.

Herbs, perennial, 20-60 cm tall, very variable. Taproot terete, extended, upper part 2-5 mm in diam., attenuate or fusiform toward base; rootstock short, thickened, usually simple. Stems very short or apparently absent. Leaves tufted, all basal; petiole (1-)5-12 cm, basally ampliate to sheath, inclined-setose; blade slightly glaucous on both surfaces, ovate to lanceolate, 3-8 cm, both surfaces densely or sparsely gray setose, rarely nearly glabrous, pinnatilobate, pinnatipartite, or pinnatisect; lobes 2-4 pairs, entire or pinnatilobate or pinnatipartite again; lobules narrowly ovate, narrowly lanceolate, or oblong, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded. Scapes 1 to several, erect, terete, densely or sparsely inclined compressed-setose. Flowers solitary, terminal, scapose, cup-shaped, 4-6 cm in diam. Flower buds usually nutant, broadly ovoid to globose, 1.5-2 cm, densely brown setose. Sepals 2, caducous, corymbiform-elliptic. Petals 4, yellowish, yellow, or orange, rarely red, broadly cuneate or obovate, (1.5-)2-3 cm, basally shortly clawed, margin undulate-crenate. Stamens many; filaments yellow or olivine, subulate, 6-10 mm; anthers yellow-white, yellow, or rarely reddish, oblong, 1-2 mm. Ovary obovoid to narrowly obovoid, 5-10 mm, densely appressed setose; stigmas 4-8, actinomorphic. Capsule narrowly obovoid, obovoid, or obovoid-oblong, 1-1.7 cm, densely appressed whitish-or red-brown setose, slightly broadly 4-8-costate; stigma disk flat, distantly incised-crenate. Seeds many, brown, almost reniform, small, striate with alveolate foveolae. Fl. May-Sep. 2n = 14, 28*, 42.

It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally in Northern sub-arctic regions. It grows on stony or gravelly soils. It prefers a well drained sandy soil in a sunny position. It can grow in partial shade. It cannot tolerate wet soils. It suits hardiness zones 2-10.

CAUTION: The leaves may be slightly toxic. The leaves are cooked and eaten. The seed is eaten raw or cooked.

Plants can be grown from seed. They are best sown directly where they are to grow. The seeds are scattered and raked in lightly. Seedlings can be transplanted. Plants should be 15 cm apart. Plants can be grown by division if it is done with care. Root cuttings will grow.