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Papaveraceae
Japanese Wood Poppy
Hylomecon japonica
Woodland sunshine and gentle discovery.
- Family
- Papaveraceae
- Genus
- Hylomecon
- Native to
- Japan, Korea, northeastern China
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 20–30 cm
- Sunlight
- part shade to full shade
- Soil
- moist, humus-rich, well-drained
- Water
- medium
- Hardiness
- 5–7
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Japanese wood poppy is one of the few members of the poppy family that thrives in deep shade.
- The genus name Hylomecon comes from Greek 'hyle' (forest) and 'mecon' (poppy) — literally 'forest poppy.'
- It blooms prolifically in spring and then retreats to a tidy clump of attractive divided foliage for the rest of the season.
- Despite being in the poppy family, it does not produce opium alkaloids — its sap is yellow, not white.
- It spreads slowly by rhizomes and can form large colonies in ideal conditions over many years.
Color meanings
Yellow
joyful serenity in shade