iceland poppy
iceland poppy Lexical Profile
• noun
A boreal herbaceous flowering plant (Papaver nudicaule) native to subpolar regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for its large, delicate, papery flowers that bloom in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, salmon, and white.
"The landscape designer incorporated a striking drift of Iceland poppies, whose papery petals swayed gracefully in the cool spring breeze."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its common name, the Iceland poppy is actually not native to Iceland; it is indigenous to the subpolar and mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North America.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The common name 'Iceland poppy' dates to the 18th century, coined to describe its cold-hardy nature and subarctic native range, combined with 'poppy' (from Old English 'popæg', via Latin 'papaver').