Poppies Dance in the Breeze Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Meconopsis betonicifolia is the scientific name of the Himalayan blue poppy, native to parts of China, Bhutan, parts of India and Nepal, as the name implies. It can be grown in many other parts of the world including the UK, although the flowers are short lived and the plants, which are perennials, do best in a cool climate. Also known as the golden poppy, the California poppy has deep yellow to orange flowers and has been the state flower of California since 1903. The leaves and seeds are edible. Although the yellow gold is the natural colour, other shades have been developed. These poppies are normally grown as annuals.

The Alpine poppy is also known as the dwarf poppy and has the scientific name of Papaver alpinum. As the name implies, these poppies are native to the Alpine regions of Europe, such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland, and have white or yellow flowers, depending on the species. The Iceland or Icelandic poppy is a perennial plant, although most gardeners treat it as an annual. Wild species have either white or yellow flowers, although other colours have been developed artificially. The name is misleading as the plant doesn't come from Iceland - it is native to mountainous and sub-polar regions of Asia and North America.

Native to Turkey, the opium poppy has an attractive lilac colour flower with serrated, pale green, leaves. The plant grows annually and is a source of drugs such as morphine and codeine, as well as heroin and opium, which are often traded illegally. The seeds from this poppy are also used in baking - these have no narcotic properties. Spanish poppies have the scientific name of Papaver rupifragum and are native to both Spain and Morocco. It is a perennial plant which produces pale orange flowers.

Papaver orientale, the Oriental poppy, originated from the north eastern area of Turkey and the Caucasian region. It is a perennial which produces large bright red flowers. The Flanders poppy is the one which most likely springs to mind when someone mentions the name 'poppy'. Other names for it include the common poppy and corn poppy. It has been adopted as a symbol of remembrance for those killed in war as it continued to grow in the battlefields of the First World War. It grows so readily that it is often treated as a weed.

The Welsh poppy, Papaver cambricum, is a perennial poppy with yellow to orange/yellow flowers. It does grow in Wales but also in other temperate regions of Europe including the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France. In the UK, its native range includes south western parts of England as well as Wales. Another variety with a yellow flower, the celandine poppy is native to parts of North America , particularly the eastern USA and east Canada. The name is derived from the European celandine plant which also has yellow flowers and have a strong resemblance.

Argemone is the official name of the prickly poppy, which is native to the Americas, including Hawaii. The common name comes from its spiky leaves and it has a large yellow cup-shaped flower. The Mexican poppy is actually a sub species of Argemone, with the scientific name Argemone mexicana. You won't be surprised to read that it is native to Mexico, although it is now found in many parts of the world. It is poisonous to livestock, so isn't welcome everywhere.

More than one plant is described as the Japanese wood poppy - varieties include Hylomecon japonica and Glaucidium palmatum. The first of these bears yellow flowers while the second has pale pink flowers with palm shaped leaves from which the scientific name derives. Papaver commutatum is the Caucasian scarlet poppy, sometimes called the ladybird poppy due to the black markings on the red petals. It is native to Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus region. It is an annual which bears large flowers.

There is no dog poppy, although there is a dog rose, and valleys are where poppies grow rather than a species. There is no jasmine poppy either, although I did find a poppy and jasmine air freshener while researching. Australia doesn't have a native poppy - the ones which grow there are the common poppy and nor does Brazil. Antarctica isn't known for its flora, but I listed it as a distractor as Arctic poppy is an alternative name for the Iceland poppy.