Papaver rhoeas

Field Poppy, Flanders Poppy, Shirley Poppy, Common Poppy, Corn Poppy

Message of the Flower

Spontaneous Joy of Nature

The Mother’s Comment

It is man who has made Nature sorrowful.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

In her green wildernesses and lurking depths, In her thickets of joy where danger clasps delight, He glimpsed the hidden wings of her songster hopes, A glimmer of blue and gold and scarlet fire.

In her covert lanes, bordering her chance field-paths And by her singing rivulets and calm lakes He found the glow of her golden fruits of bliss And the beauty of her flowers of dream and muse.

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - I: The Kingdoms and Godheads of the Greater Life

Nature proves her collaboration with a smile of flowers.

The Mother

O Nature, Material Mother, thou hast said that thou wilt collaborate and there can be no limit to the splendour of this collaboration.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - III: New Year Messages

Flowers spoke in ardent hues an unknown joy…

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - II: Nirvana and the Discovery of the All-Negating Absolute

Colour

Shades of red, purple, pink, orange, and occasionally white

Family

Papaveraceae

Cultivars

Various, including 'Shirley' poppies with a range of colors from white to pink and red.

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

About 5-10 cm in diameter.

Flower Texture

Delicate, almost tissue-like.

Number of Petals

Typically four.

Floral Symmetry

Radially symmetrical.

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant.

Leaf Texture

Slightly hairy, coarse.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate, forming a basal rosette.

Leaf Color

Light to medium green.

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous annual.

Life Cycle

Annual

Blooming Period

Late spring to early summer.

Climate

Temperate

Water Requirements

Low; drought-tolerant once established.

Soil Type

Prefers well-drained soils; can thrive in poor, disturbed soils.

Temperature Ranges

Grows best in cooler climates but can adapt to a wide range of temperatures.

Sun or Shade

Full sun.

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Generally pest-resistant; can be affected by fungal diseases in damp conditions.

Pollinators

Attracts bees and other pollinating insects.

Habitat

Native to Europe and parts of Asia; naturalized widely across the globe in fields, meadows, and disturbed lands.

Role in the Ecosystem

Supports biodiversity by providing nectar for pollinators.

Quotations

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row" – John McCrae.

Ornamental

Cultivated for its beauty in gardens and as a symbol of remembrance.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Symbolic use in remembrance ceremonies and memorials.

Endangered Status

Not endangered; widely naturalized and cultivated.

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