I've been seeing a lot of misidentifications - or perhaps wishful ones - of the invasive Chelidonium majus, greater celandine as the Eastern U.S. native Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy. Here is a visual guide for distinguishing them.
Habit
Both grow to similar height and width, holding their flowers just above the foliage when blooming.![Chelidonium majus, Celandine](https://live.staticflickr.com/8533/8704927803_be86c49ddb_c.jpg)
![Stylophorum diphllyum, Celandine Poppy](https://live.staticflickr.com/8416/8704918235_43f853071b_c.jpg)
Sap
All parts of both species exude a brightly colored sap when broken or crushed. However, I find the color is variable, ranging yellow to orange, and not distinct enough to be diagnostic.
![Yellow-orange-sapped leaf of Chelidonium majus, greater celandine, invasive, in my backyard, March 2016](https://live.staticflickr.com/1564/25612237040_690b0047e3_c.jpg)
![Yellow-orange sap of Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy, in my backyard, May 2020](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49891928338_f6e92c884b_c.jpg)
Foliage
Both have deeply pinnate leaves with lobed leaflets. The lobes on the native celandine poppy are more open, almost oak-like, than on the invasive greater celandine.![Comparative morphology: leaf obverse, Chelidonium majus, greater celandine (below) v. Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy (above), both from my garden, April 2016](https://live.staticflickr.com/1457/26557032601_45a4314927_c.jpg)
![Comparative morphology: leaf obverse, Chelidonium majus, greater celandine (below) v. Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy (above), both from my garden, April 2016](https://live.staticflickr.com/1639/26349176740_8617185a5a_c.jpg)
![Comparative morphology: leaf obverse, Chelidonium majus, greater celandine (below) v. Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy (above), both from my garden, April 2016](https://live.staticflickr.com/1670/26019308933_f2e36fdfbf_c.jpg)
![Comparative morphology: leaf obverse, Chelidonium majus, greater celandine (below) v. Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy (above), both from my garden, April 2016](https://live.staticflickr.com/1613/26016889024_cdb6d431bb_c.jpg)
Flowers
![Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy (left) and Chelidonium majus, greater celandine (right)](https://live.staticflickr.com/7302/26173008543_177bafd56b_c.jpg)
Fruit (Seedpods)
I find this the easiest way to distinguish the two species.![Chelidonium majus, Greater Celandine, Detail of ripening seed pod](https://live.staticflickr.com/78/168037974_d403e9a658_c.jpg)
![Seedpod, Stylophorum diphyllum, celandine poppy, in my backyard, May 2020](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49891900318_5c603cf2c9_c.jpg)
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1 comment:
Very helpful post. I have a LOT of the Celandine Poppy. Actually, anyone who starts out with a few will likely end up with a lot, because of how it spreads by seed. Which is fine, though it does tend to smother other spring-blooming flowers, especially shorter ephemerals. Still, the flowers are wonderful.
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