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Glaucium flavum - Crantz.

Horned Poppy

Author	Crantz.	Botanical references	17, 200
Family	Papaveraceae	Genus	Glaucium
Synonyms	Glaucium luteum - Crantz.
Known Hazards	Root is poisonous.
Range	Usually near the coast in W. Europe, including Britain, to the Mediterranean and W. Asia.
Habitat	Shingle banks by the coast[17].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.45m at a slow rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Uses: Oil.

A clear yellow edible oil is obtained from the seed[2, 46, 61, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Poultice.

Poultice[66].

Other Uses

Oil.

An oil obtained from the seed is used for as a fuel for lighting, it burns cleanly[2]. It is also used in soap making[46].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in any good well-drained soil[1, 200]. Requires a very well-drained poor soil[187]. Prefers a hot dry position[166] and dislikes shade[200]. A very ornamental but short-lived perennial[1], it is hardy to about -10°c[187]. Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible[200]. Flowers are produced in the first year from seed[200].

Propagation

The seed can be sown in the middle of spring or in autumn in a cold frame. A period of cold stratification improves germination. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[1]. If you have sufficient seed it should be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in situ in mid spring[1].

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Alternative Lighting: Plant Oils and Waxes, Vegtable Oils.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[66] Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985 ISBN 0-946284-51-2
Very readable, giving details on plant uses based on the authors own experiences.

[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

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