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El Paso County Wildflower Project - Prickly Poppy

Crested Prickly Poppy

Bloom Season: June - August

Habitat: frequently found in disturbed areas, roadsides, open grassy flats, floodplains, and overgrazed pastures.

Photography Notes: Photographer Friendly

Credits: Bob Falcone, 13 June

Argemone polyanthemos, the crested pricklypoppy, also known as bluestem prickly poppy, pricklypoppy, white prickly poppy, annual pricklypoppy, or as thistle poppy[3] is an annual plant with yellow sap and showy white flowers in the poppy family (Papaveraceae).[4]: 63 

It can be found in areas with dry soil from Texas northward to North Dakota and as far west as Washington State.[5] It has spread or been introduced to areas adjacent to its natural range, which was primarily east of the Rocky Mountains in the shortgrass and mixed grass prairies.[6]

Image Credit: Sue Bigus

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Crested Prickly Poppy (native) is one of many wildflowers featured in the El Paso CO Wildflower Project, a community-built field guide documenting the wildflowers of El Paso County, Colorado.