native plant entry 2: the poppy flower

apparently, the poppies are supposed to super bloom this spring and so in celebration, i've decided to dedicate this native plant entry to the california state flower: the poppy. while not technically native to my specific area of the mojave(not many flowers are), i've decided to expand the "native" definition to include the entire state as to allow me to create more entries.

the poppy is a flower perhaps best known for its derivative, opium. we won't be covering that here, though, as i'm not interested in what would need to be google searched to know that much about opium. also notable are that both morphine and codeine can be derived from it, so it is truly a medicinal plant. poppies are found in the entirety of the rockies mountain range, and can be yellows, oranges, and reds. the stem of the plant is fuzzy, and before it flowers a bulb will form, the same material as the stem. poppies are among those plants that help to recover disturbed soil(like dandelions), called pioneer plants. pioneer plants are species that are first to colonize ecosystems that have been disrupted, and help to break down and improve barren soils.

poppy seeds commonly germinate after the first rain falls during autumn, and can thrive in even the worst quality soils. they will bloom mainly in the spring, and die back during the summer, laying dormant until next fall. this is only in hotter climates, though, and in cooler climates they may continue blooming during most of summer. 

poppy seeds can be distilled into oil, and poppy oil is often used as a cooking oil or salad dressing, or in products like margarine; it's also known to be used in baking! however, its primary use is in the manufacture of paints. 

sources:

U.S. Forest Service
Wikipedia: Poppy Flowers
Wikipedia: Poppyseed Oil
Wikipedia: Pioneer Species