Help to identify a strange plant growing next to tree please?

bjazz28

Hi again,

It's been a while, but it's great to post here again.

I have just discovered a puzzle that I can't find an answer to. Next to my flat there's a tree, and over the last two years a certain flowering plant has been sprouting prolifically next to it. I can't believe it's just a wild flower or weed, because the flowers look very ornamental. But I however have no idea what it is. And so, today I took some cuttings in the hope of successfully propagating it.

I know its perennial because it keeps coming back year on year, but that's about it. Does anyone know what it is please?, and if yes, how could I go about possibly making it a plant that I could add to my yearly collection? 
here are some pics.....




Thanks guys,

cliff

B3

It's a poppy

Cloggie

Yep that's a poppy.  Wait for the seedhead to dry, tip it up and it's like a pepperpot of seeds that you can propagate any way you like.  They're prolific.  Lovely though.

bertrand-mabel

Yes it is one of the opium poppies and many have such brilliant colours.

Slow-worm

What a beautiful colour. 😃

bjazz28

Wow,
Thank you very much guys I really appreciate that! who knew?? that never even occurred to me, although now you say it, I guess it's obvious by the look and shape of the bloom.
Thank you also for the tip regarding the seed pods, as there are quite a few downstairs by the tree that will mature over the summer. I did get greedy though and took some cuttings to propagate right now. I wonder what will come of that. 


Thank you very much,

cliff.

Lyn

I don’t think anything will come of your cuttings, they flower set seed then die.  If you wait for the seed pods to become dry and rattle when you shake them, you can scatter them in your garden for flowers next year.

bjazz28

Thank you Lyn,

I thought it might be a long shot, and we are close to summer so these cuttings wouldn't reach maturity in time to be of consequence I guess.

So they aren't perennial then?, it must be the seeds from the pods falling beside the tree in autumn, and then growing when the temperature warms up the following year. That's why they appeared to keep coming back year on year since I first noticed them.

Thanks.

Fairygirl

Some poppies are perennial and some are annual. That's an annual, so cuttings won't work, and as you describe- the seed is falling from the seed head when it's ripe, hence the subsequent plant. You can save the seed too, and sow it elsewhere if you want it, as @Lyn describes.
Very pretty. 

hilarymathison

Does anyone have a photo of small opium poppy seedlings… I have a large bed which I ‘weed’ in April/May and can id the California poppies and the annual red ones, and I think the opium poppies have bluish green leaves, but is that the case on the small seedlings too? I don’t want to pull them all out!
thank you for any photos that may help me!

Pete.8

I've noticed that even when quite small (say 2") opium poppy seedlings do have the distinctive grey/blue foliage as you mention.
They often pop up in my garden, but I don't think any have this year.