Seasonal Wild Flowers

Yellow Horned-poppy

Glaucium flavum

Papaveraceae

Late May to September

It is found all round the coast, except for the Northeast.

It also occurs in a few places inland.

See the BSBI distribution map for Yellow Horned-poppy

It grows on shingle banks, stony beaches, eroding cliffs

and sand.

Yellow Horned-poppy is a native, striking, grey, sprawling,

perennial (or biennial) herb, growing up to 90cm.

Flowers are 6 to 9cm with 4 overlapping yellow petals.

The sepals are grey and roughly hairy.

There are numerous yellow stamens.

The lobed stigma is light green and the ovary extends to

form the long, curved capsule or horn (up to 30cm).

The leaves are grey - upper leaves have no stalks and

clasp the stem and lower leaves are stalked and divided.

The stems exude a yellow juice when damaged.

Yellow Horned-poppy on a shingle,

sandy dyke

Flower with glaucous, divided leaves

Flower - lobed stigma, many stamens

Hairy flower bud (sepals) and nascent 'horn'

Elongated capsules - horns

Developing capsule - remains of stigma

Leaf insertion