# Horticulturalists, botanists, identify this plant. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162 "2001-08-20T16:18:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/1 "2001-08-20T16:18:05Z")
We planted some seeds which we thought were exclusively Shirley poppies, but were actually some poppy seeds with various wildflowers. Of the plants that came up, one has grown quite tall, and I thought it was the poppy for that reason. Although I can’t get hold of a good picture of a poppy at the moment, the infoliation seemed to be more or less correct, and the leaves are roughly spatulate or kite-shaped. The plant also has several green, roughly globular growths, on short stalks, that appear to be seed capsules. This, too, seemed to indicate that I was dealing with a member of the _Papaver_ genus. However, the flowers are small and yellow and obviously not poppies. What kind of a plant could this be? Or is it really a poppy after all, and some bird or animal is eating most of the flowers? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/2 "2001-08-21T05:51:30Z")
Does it look like [this?](http://home.att.net/~naeem84/smallyellowflowerpainting.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/3 "2001-08-21T06:13:57Z")
Is [this](http://www.gardnercolbygallery.com/images/stockwell/yellowjacket.jpg) it? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/4 "2001-08-21T06:16:55Z")
Possibly [_Plume poppy, Macleaya cordata?_](http://www.cobleskill.edu/courses/orht321/Macleayacordata0006.jpg) It is a member of the papaver family, but quite different from other poppies. The picture I found shows a plant not flowering yet, but you should be able to tell by the foliage. I can take a pic of mine tomorrow, it’s flowering now. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/5 "2001-08-21T14:39:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*Does it look like [this?](http://home.att.net/~naeem84/smallyellowflowerpainting.htm) \*\* Wonderful, **kniz** , thank you. That was a big help. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/6 "2001-08-21T14:42:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wishbone \* > \*\*Is [this](http://www.gardnercolbygallery.com/images/stockwell/yellowjacket.jpg) it? \*\* I don’t think so, but I’d have to see a close up picture of an individual plant to be sure. If all those plants were like mine you wouldn’t see nearly as much yellow in that field, though as I suggested above maybe some critter is eating those flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horticulturalists-botanists-identify-this-plant/77162/7 "2001-08-21T14:46:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boscibo \* > \*\*Possibly [_Plume poppy, Macleaya cordata?_](http://www.cobleskill.edu/courses/orht321/Macleayacordata0006.jpg) It is a member of the papaver family, but quite different from other poppies. The picture I found shows a plant not flowering yet, but you should be able to tell by the foliage. I can take a pic of mine tomorrow, it’s flowering now. \*\* That’s not it, but thanks nevertheless. That’s the kind of picture I need to see to be able to tell.