Oriental Poppy growing guide

Oriental Poppy

Botanical Name: Papaver orientale
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Size (HxW): 30-80cm x 30-50cm
Depth & Spacing: Plant at the same height as in the pot with the roots spread evenly below. Space 30-60cm apart.
Soil: Moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. In boggy soils they tend to rot.
Aspect: Full Sun to Semi Shade – they needs at least six hours a day to flower well.
Climate: Cool to Mediterranean
Frost: Hardy, they actually quite like it.
Water: Water to establish (this takes around four weeks of regular watering), then keep moist during active growth.
Fertiliser: A general purpose fertiliser spring/summer will keep them blooming well.
Flowering Time: Spring to summer
After Flower Care: Remove spent flowers to encourage more to open.
Notes: If you are picking flowers, ideally do so in the morning, cut while in bud, just as they are splitting, you can singe the end of the stem with a lighter to help stop them wilting, then straight into the vase. They can go dormant in summer to avoid the heat, coming back in the cool of autumn, this is natural, try not to panic and dig them out, it is a coping mechanism for survival.

Oriental Poppy