How to Grow Oriental Poppy (Papaver Orientale)

Hi. This is Yolanda Vanveen and in this segment we're going to learn all about Oriental Poppies or Papaver. They're a gorgeous perennial that comes back every year that's from the Orient. So when they use the word its generally kind of all the way into South East Asia and sometimes even into India. So this whole area is considered the Orient. And Oriental poppies have a long and very racy history. And they have been found all over the world starting in China. And where ever the Chinese went or the Orient, any people form the Orient went they brought their Opium with them. So Oriental poppies are much like California poppies. And they're much bigger though. They have huge blooms that are gorgeous reds and pink and soft pink and hot pink. And I love them. They're just huge blooms compared to California poppies. And when they're done blooming they make a big seed hedge. And that is what Opium comes from. So most people don't use them for Opium anymore, thank God, but they're a gorgeous garden flower that's easy to start. You can start the seeds in the Spring or you can take them by division in the Fall. And they are very hearty down to zone 3. So zones 3 to 10 they're found in almost really cold climates to really hot climates. And they'll come up and multiply really well over the years. And they're really a great addition to your garden. You can always cut the blooms down too as they bloom out and the look tacky, chop them down and they'll shoot up another set of blooms many times. And so I find them very rewarding in the garden and I love the colors too and they're just so vibrant. They're a great addition.