Welsh poppy

The Welsh poppy is a plant of damp and shady places, roadsides and hillsides. It is also a garden escapee. It flowers over summer, attracting nectar-loving insects.

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 50cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

June to August

About

The yellow Welsh poppy is a perennial plant of damp, shady, hilly or rocky places, and is also found on walls and roadsides. It is native in damp woodlands in South West England and Wales, but widespread in many other places as a garden escapee. It flowers from June to August, and attracts pollinating bees and insects. It is an ideal plant to brighten up a shady corner in a garden as it self-seeds and spreads freely.

How to identify

The Welsh poppy has four, overlapping, yellow petals borne on a thin, green stem. The only other yellow poppies are the Californian poppy, a garden escapee with much more delicate leaves; the Yellow horned-poppy, which grows on the seashore; and the Greater celandine, which has numerous smaller flowers.

Distribution

Native in South West England and Wales, but widespread as a garden escapee.

Habitats

Did you know?

The Welsh poppy is the logo of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru.

How people can help

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try planting native plants and trees to entice birds, mammals and invertebrates into your backyard? To find out more about encouraging wildlife into your garden, visit our Wild About Gardens website: a joint initiative with the RHS, there's plenty of facts and tips to get you started.