Prickly Poppy

Another of the pictures we used for the native plant notecard set. They were all taken in our yard and this one was slightly rendered in Photoshop to give it a kind of water color look.

Description from back of card.

Argemone munita

Prickly Poppies bloom in the hottest driest parts of Big Bear well into the summer and you'll notice them beside parched dusty roadways. People often mistake them for Matilija Poppies because their massive white tissue-paper like petals and central cluster of yellow-orange stamens closely resemble those of the Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri). Both are in the Poppy family (Papaveraceae) but not of the same genus. The Prickly Poppy's flower is smaller than the Matilija Poppy and after a glimpse of the spiny foliage you'll think twice about picking one of these. Plants of this genus were once used to treat cataracts, and the name Argemone is derived from the Greek word argema, meaning "cataract". The latin munita means "fortification or defenses" and this poppy is certainly well defended. Prickly Poppies are easily grown, if not over-watered, thriving in full sun and poor soil to create a dazzling floral display.