There is an area in my garden that produces volunteer plants ALL the time,..the next house to mine doesn't ever have anything that has volunteered to grow in this spot,..i know i have seen this plant below,..but can not recall seeing it in flower,..nor in my garden. Its approx 24 inches high with leathery leaf,..large leaf. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden )
Hi Lukeypukey, i had almost forgotten about this plant,..so i posted a picture tonight to a friend who works in a botanical garden,..right off he said its "Papaver somniferum",'Opium Poppy',..amazing,..i wonder just how it got into my garden.
Philip I have some of these growing in my garden too. I didn't plant them so can only suppose they were in a seed mixture that someone was putting out for the birds and that they deposited the seeds amongst my other plants. Mine are lovely deep pink with black centres and black pollen.
Hi Eileen, duh,..duh,..now why didn't i think of that,..the guy next door puts out seed for the birds,..and its in the corner next to his property that all my volunteer plants appear,..i wonder will we have enough heat to produce a flower this season,..knock on wood.
I don't think this is Papaver Somniferum. The leaves are too green and thin ... the Poppy's have a blue/grey/green leaf that is a different shape. I'm not sure what this plant is but it reminds me of leaf lettuce more than anything.
Hi, I have to agree with Netty, these are my papaver somniferum poppies flowering at the moment,they are thick tough bushes and a grey green colour.The flowers are various shades of reds and I have had white ones as well as lilac. They self seed in my garden now....I bought the seed originally and now they reseed almost like weeds, but a nice weed! In Tasmania[sth of mainland] they are grown commercially for the food industry and of course turn up on 'poppyseed buns' and other goods but they are heat treated before they are exported so not viable. The seeds are also sold as maw maw seed in health stores, but not viable of course ( photo / image / picture from chocolate's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from chocolate's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from chocolate's Garden )
Hi Netty,..Hi Chocolate, i am inclined to agree with you,..firstly about the colour of the leaves,..that's what puzzled me,..i remember seeing this type of plant but not with the greenish leaf i have,..more a blue/grey,..but the more i look at mine it certainly resembles a poppy,..i must take some more pictures of it tomorrow. Chocolate,..those flowers of yours are beauties!.
Yep, They are pretty. Philip, I also agree, that the photos you have there don't really remind me of poppies, either. BUT i have been known to not know everything, you know! I would have guessed lettuce myself.
i do think its a little unfair how nothing exciting turns up in my garden. weeds and crisp packets seem to be the most frequent visitors :-| the litter is unbelievable some days, it just blows straight down the road and through my front gate grrrrr!!
Hi, Philip; I looked at this plant pic when you first posted it and thought of mustard, the leafy vegetable, but wasn't sure it had many/any colorful varieties.. I didn't even think of lettuce which does have many color variations.. Hank
Hi Folks, i took another few pictures of the mystery plant,..asked that friend could he be more specific,..and came up with names some of you mentioned,..like Lettuce,..and Cabbage,..in the end his name for my plant is still,.."Papaver somniferum",'Opium Poppy,Breadseed Poppy,Lettuce Leaf Poppy','Giganteum'. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) Here is a very interesting link about Poppies,..some similar to mine,..looking very like tall Lettuce or Cabbage. http://www.poppies.org/gallery/
The leaves on your plant look just the same as the leaves on mine Philip. My one grows to over five feet in height(sometimes more depending on the weather) and covers an area of around four to five feet in width now. The leaves aren't the most attractive I have to admit but the six to eight inch flowers are worth putting up with them. Do let us see photographs of yours when it flowers - that is - if you decide to keep it.
Hi Eileen, volunteers i do like to keep,..its a nice bonus,..yes i will keep this poppy,..i have seen flowers from the same type of Poppy,..very impressive a big flower,..and a huge plant,..i hope it survives the winter,..but if yours does,..then mine should follow suit.
