Family: Papaveraceae
Common name: Pale Mexican Poppy, Pale Mexican prickly poppy, Mexican poppy, Prickly poppy, White thistle, Devil’s fig, Yellow poppy, Burweed, Mexican thistle, Golden thistle of Peru, Biniguy thistle
Pale Mexican Poppy is a beautiful wild plant native to Mexico as the name says but has now been naturalized in many countries around the world. They grow on roadsides, open plots, disturbed areas, almost anywhere they can get a foothold.
Plant Characteristics
These plants are about 30-90 cm tall with a stiff, branched stem that is covered with thorny spikes. The leaves are lobed, with a marbled green and cream-yellow coloration, about 10-12 cm in length.
Pale Mexican poppy leaves have a waxy coating to help them live in dry environments, and they are covered with long, white spines that make them almost impossible to touch.
Leaves are sessile which means that they are attached directly to the stem without a petiole, the small stalk that attaches the leaf to the stem.
They obviously cannot be eaten by grazing animals, and thus can spread very quickly. Pale Mexican poppy flowers are very beautiful, pale yellow, about 4-6 cm in diameter with prominent yellow stamens and a red style.
Flowers usually bloom singly and resemble poppy flowers giving the plant its name. The brightly colored flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.
After pollination, the plants produce elongated, prickly fruits that split open on maturity to release numerous small, black seeds.
When broken, all parts of the plant exude a yellow sap which is bitter and poisonous, yet another reason for herbivorous animals to stay away from these unfriendly plants.
Pale Mexican Poppy is closely related to the Prickly poppy or Argemone mexicana, the difference being the paler leaves and flowers as the name aptly suggests.
The family of Papaveraceae, commonly known as the Prickly Poppies have over 30 species of plants, all of them with similar characteristics like prickly leaves, and poppy-like flowers.
Gardening tips
These plants grow well in sun or shade, rich or poor soil, drought or rains – which goes to show how hardy and indestructible they are. Good sunlight helps the plant to flower well.
They need very little water, fertilization, and care. Pale Mexican Poppies are considered invasive weeds in agricultural land since they are difficult to get rid of. It is best to use machines, or organic weedicides to get rid of these plants before they fruit so that the seeds don’t feel to the ground and germinate.
Propagation is through seeds.
Photographed at: Roadside, Bangalore
