Oriental poppy pollen

Papaver orientale

Blue grey to charcoal, in the grey range.

FloweringMay to July

PollenGood

NectarNone

SeasonSpring, Summer

WhereGarden

A big garden poppy. Pollen only, no nectar, and easily mixed up with field poppy.

Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) in flower — Photo: Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons

Easy to mistake for these

Closest pollen colours in our set, measured the same way the pollen identifier scores a match. Colour alone will not settle it, so check the flowering months and what is actually growing near your hives.

Field poppyJune to July LupinJune to July Rosebay willowherbJuly to August Viper’s buglossJune to August BorageJune to September

Confused with in the field

Noted by name in our own records, rather than worked out from the colour.

Field poppyVery dark grey, nearly black

Out at about the same time

ComfreyDull pale yellow CotoneasterDull pale cream False acaciaPale creamy white HawthornYellow brown HollyMuted pale yellow Horse chestnutBrick to rusty red

Saw a load like this going in?

Sample the colour against all 89 plants, then keep a forage record per hive.

Pollen identifier