Arctic Poppy, Icelandic poppy
Papaver nudicaule
Family: Papaveraceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.
Papaver nudicaule is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to September, and the seeds ripen from June to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Stony slopes, river gravels and sandy meadows. Dry, exposed, rocky openings such as on steep slopes, screes, and outcrops at elevations of 300 - 1000 metres in Alaska.
Northern sub-arctic regions.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Leaves - cooked. Very agreeable to the taste, the leaves are a good source of vitamin C. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - raw or cooked. Oleaginous and antiscorbutic, the seed is very agreeable to the taste. It contains some opium. Caution is advised, see note at top of page.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 1
Anodyne, antiscorbutic. The flowers and seed capsules are mildly diaphoretic.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating:
Red and beige dyes are obtained from the flowers. Yellow and brown dyes are obtained from the flower pods (does this mean the immature flower bud or the developing seed head?).
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Container, Foundation, Massing, Rock garden. Prefers a well-drained sandy loam in a sunny position. Prefers a fertile soil. Prefers a deep soil that is poor and dry rather than rich, and strongly dislikes wet conditions. Succeeds in dry soils. Prefers partial shade. There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. A short-lived perennial, it is often grown as an annual or biennial. It often dies out in heavy soils or wet winters. Special Features: Attractive foliage, North American native, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in situ. Plants can be transplanted. Division in March or October with care. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Root cuttings 10cm long, November/December in a cold frame.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 4-10
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
This plant is toxic to mammals, though the toxicity is low.