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Argemone mexicana
| Common name: |
Prickly Poppy |
Family: |
Papaveraceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
72, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Argemone ochroleuca (Sweet.) |
| Known Hazards: |
All parts of the plant, including the seed, contain toxic alkaloids[175]. |
| Range: |
South-western N. America. Naturalized in C. and S. Europe[50]. |
| Habitat: |
Dry soils along roadsides and in waste places and fields[72, 192]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| A. leiocarpa[B,P]
A. mexicana var. ochroleuca[B,P]
A. ochroleuca var. stenophylla[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Argemone [E], Argemone Du Mexique [E], Bherband [E], Cardo Santo [S,E], Cardosanto [E], Chadron Beni [E], Chandron A Fleurs Jaunes [E], Chardon [E], Chardon A Fleurs Jaunes [E], Chardon Beni [E], Chardon Fleurs Jaunes [E], Chicallotl [E], Chicaolte [E], Chokh [E], Deruju [E], Lao Shu Le [E], Mexican Pricklepoppy [L], Mexican Prickly-poppy [B], Mexican Pricklypoppy [P], Ne [E], Poppy, Prickly [S], Poppy,Mexican [E], Poppy,Prickly [E], Poppy,Thistle [E], Prickly Poppy [E,H,S], Thistle,Gamboge [E], Thistle,Yellow [E], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
cana = grayed due to hairs
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Papaverales. Poppy family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Argentina
Bahamas Ca China Cuba Dominican Republic Ethiopia Guatemala Guinea Haiti India India(Gujarat) Java Martinique Mexico Mexico(Kickapoo) Mexico(Seri) Nigeria(Hausa) Pakistan Paraguay Peru Philippines Senegal St Vincent Sudan
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: Western Australia. |
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.45m . It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
The plant is self-fertile.
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Cultivated Beds.Edible Uses
Leaves.
Leaves[177] No further details are given but caution is advised, see
the notes on toxicity at the top of the page.
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Alterative
Analgesic Antispasmodic Antitussive Demulcent Emetic Expectorant Hallucinogenic Purgative Sedative Skin Warts.
The whole plant is analgesic, antispasmodic, possibly hallucinogenic
and sedative[46, 61, 178, 181, 192, 254]. It contains alkaloids similar to
those in the opium poppy (P. somniferum) and so can be used as a mild
pain-killer[254].
The fresh yellow, milky, acrid sap contains protein-dissolving substances
and has been used in the treatment of warts, cold sores, cutaneous
affections, skin diseases, itches etc[207, 243, 254]. It has also been used
to treat cataracts[254] and has been taken internally in the treatment of
dropsy and jaundice[240, 243].
The root is alterative and has been used in the treatment of chronic skin
diseases[240, 243].
The flowers are expectorant and have been used in the treatment of coughs
and other chest complaints[254].
The seed is demulcent, emetic, expectorant and laxative[240, 243]. An
infusion, in small quantities, is used as a sedative for children, but
caution is advised since the oil in the seed is strongly purgative[254]. The
seed has also been used as an antidote to snake poisoning[240, 243]. The
pounded seeds, mixed with mustard oil, are applied externally to treat itchy
skin[272].
The oil from the seed is demulcent and purgative[254, 272]. It has been used
externally in the treatment of skin problems[240, 243, 272]. Caution is
advised in the use of this oil, prolonged ingestion produces toxic effects
resembling those occurring in epidemic dropsy[240]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Essential
Oil.
A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed, used for lighting, soap
etc[46, 61, 103, 171, 272].
A medicinal fixed oil (essential oil?) is obtained from the seed[178].
Cultivation details
Easily grown in a light soil in a sunny position[1, 134, 166]. Does
best in a poor well-drained soil[134].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates
temperatures down to between -5 and -10° c[200].
Usually grown as a hardy annual in Britain[1]. It resents being transplanted
and should be sown in situ[134].
Propagation
Seed - sow April in situ[200]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 4
weeks at 15° c[134].
Scent
-
- No details on scent.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [L] Scientific and Common Names (some photos)
from Lepidoptera and some other life forms
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [W] Photos
(common names, range) from the University of Washington Medicinal Herb Garden.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Argemone ochroleuca (a possible synonym).
References for argemone mexicana (a possible synonym).
References for the family Papaveraceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[72] Small. Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
Getting rather dated now, it covers Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader.
[103] Haywood. V. H. Flowering Plants of the World. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-217674-9
Very readable and well illustrated, it lists plants by families giving the basic diagnostic features and some details of plant uses.
[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[181] Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962
Very readable flora but rather lacking botanically. A few notes on useful plants.
[192] Emboden. W. Narcotic Plants Studio Vista 1979 ISBN 0-289-70864-8
A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[207] Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[243] Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993
Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
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Plant information taken from the
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WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Argemone+mexicana
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