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Oriental poppy
Oriental poppies add old-fashioned charm to Gardens. These plants usually are easy to
grow, but they prefer sunny areas and soil that's well drained. The plants are hardy, and do well
in mountain Gardens at high elevations.
Poppies decline rapidly in poorly drained soils. It's not a good idea to plant oriental
poppies in areas where soil stays wet for extended periods.
The silky, bowl-shaped flowers appear in late spring and burst from distinctive buds
covered in bristly hairs. Flower colors include scarlet red, glowing orange, salmon pink,
sparkling white and bi-colored forms. Many of the flowers feature inky-dark blotches at the base
of the petals and colorful stamens in the center. As petals fall, the remaining seed pod adds
interest and contrast in Gardens.
Careful placement of oriental poppy is essential. Its foliage dies back during the hot
weeks of mid-summer, leaving a conspicuous gap. A well-chosen companion plant such as
baby's breath or whirling butterflies can help camouflage the open space.
As temperatures cool down in September, new foliage emerges from the crown and
persists through the winter. Oriental poppy may be left undisturbed indefinitely. The clumps will
become large, but they generally aren't invasive.
Related plants include Iceland poppy, a perennial that generally lives for 2 to 3 years.
Like oriental poppy, it prefers higher elevations and cool temperatures. Opium poppy, another
short-lived plant, will re-seed freely once established in a Garden.
For more information, see the following Colorado State Extension fact sheet(s).
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