Species Mexican Prickly-Poppy
bright-yellow flowers with red center, yellow stamens, white-green leaves and green stems

Mexican Prickly-Poppy

Argemone mexicana

Mexican Prickly-Poppy (Argemone mexicana) is an upright, single-stemmed plant native to Mexico, California, and the southwestern United States. It grows in open, disturbed areas, and has white to yellow flowers with purple margins and spines on stems and petals. As a member of the Papaveraceae family, it produces capsules containing many seeds. It is valued for its oil, which has long been used medicinally by Native Americans. Mexican Prickly-Poppies have been used in teas, salves, ointments, and liniments for various ailments, and have also been used as a dye and a blue dye for fabrics.

Watering:

Minimal

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,gray,gray

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Easy

watering

Thyme-Leaved Sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia) should be watered regularly about once or twice a week, providing enough moisture to keep the soil uniformly moist but not saturated. Water in the morning so that the foliage has time to dry off before nightfall. During the heat of summer, water more often. Be careful not to overwater as this can cause root rot.

sunlight

The amount of sunlight that Thyme-Leaved Sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia) needs depends on the season. During summer, it requires full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours a day, while in winter, it can handle partial shade. It does appreciate some light shade during the hottest parts of the day in the heat of summer. In the late afternoon or early morning, it enjoys a few hours of direct sunlight. Even during the winter, it needs indirect sunlight or the plant will become leggy with sparse leaves. For optimal growth, the plant should be given 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight a day.

pruning

Thyme-Leaved Sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia) should be pruned lightly in early spring, just before the new spring growth starts. Remove any dead or damaged stems, and also thin out any branches that are too close or overcrowded. Prune enough to keep the shape of the plant neat and tidy. Some gardeners may want to prune the top of the plant back quite low to stop it from becoming "leggy." Regular pruning can also remove any brown or wilted foliage.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Harvest Fruit

⚠️ Perenual and its members cannot be held liable for any health issues that may arise from the information provided on the website or from using any of the plants found on the site. The information provided is intended to be used as general guidelines only.