The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.

Common Name: Arctic Poppy

General Information

Papaver nudicaule is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

This plant is toxic to mammals, though the toxicity is low[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Northern sub-arctic regions.

Habitat

Stony slopes, river gravels and sandy meadows[]. Dry, exposed, rocky openings such as on steep slopes, screes, and outcrops at elevations of 300 - 1000 metres in Alaska[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Bees, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a well-drained sandy loam in a sunny position[, ]. Prefers a fertile soil[]. Prefers a deep soil that is poor and dry rather than rich, and strongly dislikes wet conditions[]. Succeeds in dry soils. Prefers partial shade[].
There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[].
A short-lived perennial, it is often grown as an annual or biennial[]. It often dies out in heavy soils or wet winters[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. Very agreeable to the taste, the leaves are a good source of vitamin C[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Seed - raw or cooked. Oleaginous and antiscorbutic, the seed is very agreeable to the taste[]. It contains some opium[]. Caution is advised, see note at top of page.

Medicinal

Anodyne, antiscorbutic[, ].
The flowers and seed capsules are mildly diaphoretic[].

Other Uses

Red and beige dyes are obtained from the flowers[].
Yellow and brown dyes are obtained from the flower pods[] (does this mean the immature flower bud or the developing seed head?).

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ[]. Plants can be transplanted[].
Division in early spring or early autumn with care[]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Root cuttings 10cm long, late autumn in a cold frame.