Glaucium corniculatum

The Glaucium corniculatum, also known as the red horned poppy, is a beautiful wild plant that is sometimes found emerging from poor, sun-baked soil. Hairy all over, it forms a clump of beautifully cut, glaucous leaves that come to life in spring with large red-orange poppy flowers. This poppy only lives long enough to produce seeds, ensuring its continuity by self-seeding wherever suits it.

The Glaucium corniculatum belongs to the Papaveraceae family. This botanical species is found in southern Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, and Central Asia. Its natural environment corresponds to arid wasteland, sandy hillsides, rocky areas, roadside edges, scrublands, and coastal areas. This poppy first develops a hairy, oblong, wavy, pennatilobed rosette of beautiful greyish-blue-green leaves. The whole measures 15 to 40 cm (15.7 in) in height. Flowering occurs from March to June depending on the climate. The flowers are solitary, 3 to 5 cm (2 in) wide, composed of satin-textured petals, ranging from orange-red to orange-yellow, adorned with a dark brownish-black spot at the base. The floral buds are very hairy, carried by an erect and branching hairy stem, with divided leaves covered with a bluish bloom, with incised edges. The fruit is a long, erect silique measuring 11 to 20 cm (7.9 in), resembling a horn, which releases its seeds as it dries out. In warmer areas, the plant germinates in autumn, holding onto its leaves over winter.

Glauciums were, until 50 years ago, very common on our sandy coasts, but these annual or biennial plants are now tending to decline sharply.  All the more reason to introduce them to our gardens, where they can roam to their heart's content. The red horned poppy thrives in rockeries and on arid slopes, in the company of other wild plants such as horned lotus, vetches, or California poppies. However, this plant does not like competition and is often found isolated in inhospitable places!