Oriental poppy

Great cups of fire

The Oriental poppy is a showy herbaceous perennial in the family Papaveraceae. Its flowers are among the largest and most striking in the garden: broad cups of silky petals, often a vivid orange-red, with a black blotch at the base and a central boss of dark stamens. The leaves are rough and hairy, deeply cut, gathered in a basal rosette. Numerous cultivars exist in colours ranging from white to pink, apricot and scarlet.

Origin and habitat

It is native to the Caucasus, north-eastern Turkey and northern Iran, where it grows in mountain meadows and slopes. It is a very hardy plant, used to cold winters and summers with dry spells.

Cultivation

It loves full sun and fertile, deep, well-drained soil: above all it dislikes winter waterlogging. It flowers from late spring into early summer; after flowering the foliage yellows and the plant enters a summer rest, then resumes growth in autumn. It is therefore useful to pair it with other perennials that fill the summer gap.

Warning

Like many Papaveraceae, it contains alkaloids and is toxic if eaten; the sap can irritate the skin. Keep it away from children and animals that might chew its parts.

Care

It needs little attention once established. It can be propagated by root cuttings during summer dormancy. After flowering, cut back the yellowed foliage; the plant is long-lived and resents transplanting, so it is best placed in a permanent spot.