Argemone sp.
Prickly poppy, Prickly Poppy
(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Brian Finzel · licence
Family: Papaveraceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Argemone sp. (Prickly poppy) is a non-native California perennial in the Papaveraceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Romneya: Argemone has sharp spines throughout; Romneya is completely unarmed and smooth.; vs Papaver: Argemone is covered in sharp spines; Papaver is unarmed with short hairs or none.; vs Rosa: Argemone spines cover leaves and stems; Rosa has thorns only on stems.; vs Cosmos: Argemone has spiny leaves and stems; Cosmos is completely unarmed.; vs Cistus: Argemone is spiny throughout; Cistus is unarmed and often sticky-hairy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Argemone sp. native to California?
No. Argemone sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Argemone sp. belong to?
Argemone sp. is in the Papaveraceae family, genus Argemone.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.