A genus of poppies, belonging to the Poppy family (Papaveraceae).
Its 120-odd species include the opium poppy and corn poppy. These are annual, biennial and perennial hardy, frost-tolerant plants growing natively in the temperate climates of Eurasia, Africa and North America (Canada, Alaska, Rocky Mountains). One section of the genus (Section Meconella) has an alpine and circumpolar arctic distribution and includes some of the most northerly-growing vascular land plants.
Papaver grows in disturbed soil. Its seeds may lie dormant for years until the soil is disturbed. Then they bloom in great numbers under cool growing conditions.
The large, showy terminal flowers grow on long, hairy stalks, to a height of even 1m or more as in the Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale). Their color vary from the deepest crimson, lilac, or white, or violet, to bright yellow or soft pink. The tissue-paper-like flowers may be single, double or semi-double. The size of these flowers can be amazing, as the Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule) grows to 15-20 cm across.
The flower buds are nodding or bent downwards, turning upwards as they are opening. The perianth is formed by two whorls - the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals). The outer whorl of two sepals drops off as the bud opens. The inner whorl consists of 4 (but sometimes 5 or 6) petals. There are many stamens in several whorls around a compound pistil, which results from the fusion of a variable number of carpels. The stigmas are visible on top of the capsule, and the number of stigmas corresponds to the number of fused carpels.
