Oriental Poppies, A Gardener’s Delight
Oriental Poppies are a favorite of mine. The blooms remind me of crepe paper flowers I made as a child. Their brilliant colored blooms are 6-inches in diameter and grow up to 3 feet. The flowers range in color from the familiar scarlet, red, orange and white to pink, salmon, and purple. The colors vary from neon hues to pretty pastels. They are also known by Papaver orientale (Latin Name Pronunciation: pah-pah'-ver).
This perennial is related to summer-blooming annual poppies. It flowers in the late spring and its large, gaudy flowers make it hard to miss. The flowers come in an array of colors and can get from 2 to 4 feet tall. Its fern-like foliage dies back after flowering and will need to be hidden by other perennials or annuals. The roots do not like to be disturbed and transplanting Oriental Poppies can be difficult. If dividing the plant becomes necessary due to decreased flower production the process should be done in the late summer or early fall. This plant does best in full sun conditions in rich soil. Too much water will kill the taproot so be sure the soil drains well. Oriental Poppies can be persnickety but the beauty of the flower makes them well worth the effort.
Unlike the name suggests the origin of the plant is from Caucasus, Turkey, and Northern Iran, not the Far East. Oriental Poppies are perennials that bloom in late spring to early summer. Their blooms do not last long. Hot humid summers and clay soils found in the South are not a friend of this plant it is just too hot for the fragile flower. Since the plant does not rebloom, there is no need to pinch the flowers. They are hardy for zones 3 – 9 and perform best in zones 3 – 7.
This is one plant where it is beneficial to understand its lifecycle. As the temperature gets cooler in the fall new growth will start. You will see new shoots sprout. The foliage will also turn green and a mound will form. This new green mound will stay throughout the winter. It will not grow but it will not die either. In the spring, growth will start again and this is when the flowers come. When the heat comes in the mid-summer the plant goes dormant. Do not overwater when plants are dormant. In the fall, the process starts up again. After each cycle, the mound gets bigger. Based on this growth cycle, the best times to plant Oriental Poppies are spring and fall.
As previously mentioned, this plant is sun-loving so select a location where it will get plenty of sun. The plant has long carrot-like roots, so dig a hole that is deep enough to accommodate the roots, up to 10-12 inches. One of the main reasons, the plant fails is the roots are not planted deep enough, which can cause the soil to be too wet. Make sure this location is one where the plant will stay because the long roots do not like to be disturbed. Once established they are drought tolerant but when first planted, give them an inch of water a week when budding or in bloom. Oriental Poppies do not need to be divided that often, maybe every 5 years and it can be done in August when the plant is dormant.
Some great perennial companion plants for Oriental Poppies include large perennials such as Baby’s Breath, Siberian Iris, and Peonies. If there are holes left when the plant goes dormant try annuals such as Cosmos and Nicotiana.
If you grow Oriental Poppies, let us know if you have any special tips.
