Wood poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum
 
One of the showiest woodland plants, cheers up shady garden corners with orange-yellow flowers in May and June. The beautiful dense light green foliage stays green until October with even soil moisture. Often, the plant puts on a second flush of flowers in the summer, which can be further encouraged by deadheading. Wood poppy, also called Celandine poppy, should not be mistaken for the aggressive Celandine (Chelidonium majus), a look-alike weed from Europe.  Wood poppy is listed as endangered with only three wild stands left in Ontario, which are along the Thames River, and is endangered in many counties in the States and would not appear in the garden by itself.
 
Ecology:
Wood poppy offers early season pollen for early emerging bees and flies. The plant can also self-fertilize. The seeds come with a small appendage rich in oil called elaisome, which entices ants to carry the seeds back to their hills to feed on the elaisome and, at the same time, bury and disperse the seeds away from the mother plant. Chipmunks love to eat the seeds.
 
Growing conditions:
Wood poppy grows in species-rich deciduous woodlands, along wooded streams, in ravines, and in wetter areas of calcareous bluffs.  In the garden, they can grow quite easily in part, dappled and almost full shade in humus-rich soil of any kind. Wood poppy prefers good moisture. Once established, it will grow in drier soil but will go dormant after blooming. It can form beautiful dense stands and line walkways in your garden.