Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: celandine poppy
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Papaveraceae
Native Range: Eastern North America
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet
Bloom Time: April to June
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: High
Suggested Use: Naturalize, Rain Garden
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Wet Soil
Culture
Best grown in medium to wet, humusy soils in part shade to full shade. Plants will go dormant in early summer if soils dry out. Will naturalize easily by self-seeding in optimum growing conditions.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Stylophorum diphyllum, commonly called celandine poppy, is a Missouri native wildflower which occurs most often in moist woodlands and along streambanks in the central and southeast portions of the State. Features 4-petaled, yellow flowers which bloom in spring in small clusters atop stems typically growing 12-18" tall. Blue-green, pinnately lobed foliage is silvery below. Stems contain a bright yellow sap which was formerly used as a dye by Native Americans.
Genus name comes from the Greek words stylos meaning style and phoros meaning bearing with reference to the long columnar style.
Specific epithet means having two leaves or leaflets.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Self-seeding may be a problem if plants are grown in borders.
Uses
Naturalize in shaded areas of woodland, shade, wildflower or native plant gardens.