By Kate Torpie, Garden Guides Contributor
About Oriental Poppy
Oriental Poppy, or Papaver orientale, is a perennial. It blooms in
scarlet, orange, translucent pink or a variety of these colors with
dabs of deep purple. When open, the flowers are dramatic and the
size of dinner plates. They not only attract pollinators, but also
admiration from passersby.
Site Preparation
Choose a site with partial to full sun. You do not want a site that
is too moist. The plants usually grow 2 to 3 feet in length, so
plant them near an area where they will not block anything. This is
one of the few plants that grows quite easily and successfully from
seed, while it doesn't take well to transplanting. However, if you
do transplant, dig a hole that is about as deep as the plant was in
the pot. Either way, if you grow from seed or transplant, be sure
to turn the soil over well and be sure that the soil is not overly
moist. The plants or seeds should be placed about 18 to 24 inches
apart.
Planting
Sow your seeds well after the last frost has passed. Place the seed
(or transplant) in the hole. Fill the hole with a mixture of
fertilizer and sand to help with water drainage. Then spread mulch
around the new plantings. If you transplant, do not put mulch
directly on top of the plant. Water the plant immediately. If you
are planting from seed, expect a germination period of about 2 to 3
weeks. Once the stalks begin to grow tall, stake them out for
support. Flowers will bloom in the spring, then die, but the green
foliage will remain. When your other summer flowers begin to die in
the fall, the oriental poppies will randomly bloom into bright
bursts of beauty again.
Care
Be careful not to overwater your Oriental Poppy. You can deadhead
the dead blooms, as new ones will appear quickly. In midsummer,
some of the plants will begin to die back. At that time, cut back
the old stems. When the flowers turn to dried pods, you can cut
them,or leave them for the birds to feast on. In winter, cover with
mulch or bring indoors (but remember,they don't transplant well).
When spring comes, there's no need to clean out the mulch as the
giant flowers will cover them. Once the blooms fade, you can start
watering your plant less often. The foliage does well with a good
sun-baking.
Choosing a Variety
There is a huge variety of Oriental Poppy, so choosing one depends
on what color and size you want in your garden. You may want to
pick up some Baby's Breath to plant in the same area, so that once
the blooms are gone, you have some filler. The number of varieties
is tremendous: Turkenlouise has fringed petals of bright red and
jet black stamen; and Fancy Feathers is a bubblegum pink, double
layered, highly ruffled variety. Allegro blooms twice each season.
Varieties are based on petal trim, color and stamen color. For the
most part, all Oriental Poppies require the same care.
Special Features
With looks this good, and care this easy, there is no need for more
special features.
