Practical
Plants

Meconopsis napaulensis

Himalayan Poppy

a perennial member of the Meconopsis genus in the family Papaveraceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
2 m
Spread
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An edible oil is extracted from the seed[2][3][4].

Product or use
Oil

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is used as a narcotic[6].

Product or use
Narcotic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas to China, Nepal and Szechwan.
Habitat
Open slopes and grazed ground, 3000 - 4500 metres[7].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in late summer. Spring sown seed is slower to germinate[5]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Grows best in a woodland soil in partial shade[1][5]. The soil should be lime-free, moist, well-drained and moderately rich[5]. Dislikes full sun and windy positions[5]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[5]. A very ornamental plant[1]. Monocarpic, the plants living for a number of years before flowering but then dying once they flower[5]. A fine plant for growing in open woodland[1]. Plants are subject to 'crown rot' when they are growing in damp conditions[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  6. 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. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  7. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩

Edit this page