|
|
|
Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
Flower 1˝ -2 in., plant
1-1˝ ft., Poppy family
This wild poppy shows off
its big yellow flowers at the tops of tall stems, and each stem has a single
pair of deeply “toothed” leaves. From March to May in the Midwest,
they can be found in rich damp woods and on slopes where there is a lot of
leaf mold. Each bloom has 4 big round petals and a pincushion of fuzzy
stamens in the middle.
If you tear a leaf of this
plant, orange-yellow juice will appear in the tear. But be careful. The
juice can irritate your skin. It is so bitter that it discourages grazing
animals from eating the plants, which is exactly what Mother Nature
intended.
“Celandine” comes from the
Greek word chelidon, because it bloomed when the swallows arrived
from Europe. This plant’s other name is Wood Poppy. Don’t confuse it with
Hairy Buttercup – count the petals: Hairy has five, not four, and its leaves
have pointier edges. There is also a “Lesser Celandine” that is actually a
buttercup, but it has very small flowers that bloom April to August.
|
 |
|
