Common Name:

yellow prickly-poppy, Mexican prickly-poppy

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Argemone mexicana

Family:

Papaveraceae

Form:

Size:

To 3 ft tall by 1 ft wide

Life Span:

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Blooms late winter-early spring

Noted For:

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden. Roadside wildflower areas. This plant blooms from late winter into spring, displaying its large flowers when little else is blooming in the garden.

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Light:

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

-|----|---|----|---|---|---- <------------------------->

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Circumneutral to calcareous (6.5-8.5)

Suitable to Grow In:

8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11

Wildlife:

Native Habitats:

Natural Range in Florida:

Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This is one of Florida's most showy and most under-appreciated wildflowers. Look for it along disturbed roadsides in mid-late winter and early spring. This is a personal favorite of one of the authors -- it grows and bloom early and attracts lots of insects. The only issue is the prickles, so do wear gloves when weeding around it. It reseeds readily so long as there is good sun and bare ground where the seeds land. Don't let the name fool you, this is a Florida native.