Garden escapee for ID

[Dae]

Hello!

My husband came across an escapee a few weeks back near our home here in Wales that I'd like a bit of help with. I am pretty sure it's a Poppy, but was wondering if anyone knew which type? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Jez]

Quite possibly, lady bird poppy. I haven't seen this garden variety in a long while, I do remember there being large spots on the petals. Not all of them.

[Lancashire Lad]

Looks like a standard opium poppy to me. This one is a striking shade of dark red, but they are quite variable through the pink-red range.

We had swathes of these in the gardens where I used to work at one time, and I often wondered at the legality of growing them - I haven't been able to find anything that confirms it would come into the same category as cannabis plants for example - possibly because the production of drugs from the plant would take some sort of laboratory processes.

I think they are a magnificent looking flower, but they only last for a couple of days at the most, when the slightest amount of wind or rain will have the petals coming off.

Regards
Mike.

[Dae]

wow, well the two suggestions both look like my flower to me? Is there a way to tell the difference between the two?

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Dae

...Is there a way to tell the difference between the two?...

I think that the dark markings on Ladybird poppy petals are almost always individual "spots" surrounded by the general red colour, i.e. like on a ladybird. Whereas opium poppies have a the dark centre extending into the dark area of the petals.

Opium poppies also grow much taller - Ladybirds about 450mm, Opiums over 1m.

I'm sure those more informed than myself will be able to give you other distinguishing features.

Regards
Mike.

[Dae]

Well the height differences should be enough. I'll ask my husband how tall they were when he saw them - as I wasn't there. Thanks again!

[KeenTeen17]

I think it is oriental poppy papaver pseudorientale

me and jhewitt15 saw one back in July

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Looks like a standard opium poppy to me. This one is a striking shade of dark red, but they are quite variable through the pink-red range.

Regards
Mike.

I always thought opium poppies were just the light lilac types.

[davidbr]

The plant is an Opium Poppy, Papaver somniferum, a common casual of urban wastelands especially on disturbed ground. The natural form is lilac, but I see red-flowered ones far more often around Bristol and double-flowered forms aren't at all unusual.

[Dae]

Seems this is a bit of a complicated one I don't think the plant was on disturbed ground or on an urban wasteland (not sure what that is exactly). The path it was alongside is a forested trail which works its way up the side of a hill - just behind our tiny village here in Wales.

Because opium poppies are so variable it has me leaning that way, but keenteen's oriental poppy photo looks a lot like the one my husband photographed...so I don't really know which one to go for. Perhaps I should just class it as a Poppy and leave it be huh??