What is a poppy? A poppy is an annual flowering plant with red, purple, orange or even white petals. Following World War I, poppies were among the first to grow in the barren lands of the Western Front, and so have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime. A common orange kind of poppy grows in places with a long dry summers, and is called the Californian poppy.

Poppy

Common red poppy, bud, flower and seed head.

The poppy's flowers grow from a tall stem, and produce a distinctive ring of petals. As the seed head forms, the petals fall away, and the seedhead is left exposed. Then the seedhead dries, and slits open in it, so that as the wind blows the seedhead, so the seeds are shaken out and fall onto the ground.

The poppy does not need particularly fertile soil, and its seeds and shoots can stand up to direct sunlight and dry conditions. As a result, it is able to grow on barren ground, so it is among the first colonising plants to grow back after an area has been cleared of vegetation. This may be as a result of fire, war or land clearance on building sites. It can also be found beside railway tracks and in the space between hedgerows and highways.

Video: Poppies

Video: Poppy seeds

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