Wild Wednesday - Common Poppy
The common poppy, also known as the ‘corn poppy’ was introduced into Britain at the same time as agricultural crops as far back as the late Bronze Age or before.
This pretty flower has become a symbol of both remembrance and hope for a peaceful future. We wear poppies in November (linked to Armistice Day on 11 November) to show support to the Armed Forces community and it is featured in the 80th D-Day celebrations.
Found in England and lowland parts of Wales and Scotland from June to August, on its own or in large numbers with other wildflowers. It was once considered a weed in cornfields’ but now is usually seen on roadside verges, waste ground and field boundaries. Numbers are now declining due to intensive farming practices and the use of fertiliser and weed killer however they are on the rise in parts of the UK, as a resistant strain to herbicides has developed.
With big saucer-shaped, scarlet blooms, as an annual flower, the poppy relies upon its own seed to regenerate, and the seeds need open ground for regrowth. It has both hairy leaves and stems, which grow up to 80 centimetres in height, its seeds are oval and hairless and about one to two centimetres long.
Occasionally poppies lose their colouring and white flowers can be found in between the sea of red. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance for fallen service personnel and has a poignant place in the cultural heritage of Great Britain.
It does not produce nectar, only pollen, however bees have been found to collect pollen even when there are nectar sources nearby, as it is thought that the pollen contains amino acids that bees require throughout their lives.
James Wearn, leads a project called ‘Kew Gardens at War’, describes how one poppy helped to keep pain away during wartime while another poppy lets us remember and reflect on the pain and sorrow of war. Read more here: A tale of two poppies | Kew