How to Grow and Care for Oriental Poppy Plants

Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale) are herbaceous perennial flowers with large, brightly colored blooms featuring petals reminiscent of crepe paper. These plants aregrown mainly for their flowers, although they also bear attractive foliage in spring. They are just one of the various types of poppies.

The most commonly found Oriental poppy flowers areorange(for example, 'Prince of Orange') and red(for example, 'Livermere'). Butmany cultivars exist, offering a variety of colors, including peach, maroon, and salmon. The blossom petals usually sport a dark blotch at their base. The large buds nod down at first, but they raise their heads as the flowers unfurl.

When planting poppies, be aware that the aboveground growth dies back in summer, when the plant goes dormant. This can leave gaps in your planting bed, so design around the poppies accordingly. Good companions that will fill in after poppies die back include black-eyed Susan, daylily, catmint, and phlox. Poppies are typically grown from seed planted in spring or fall. They are fast growers (and fast bloomers), sprouting up in a matter of days once the weather warms in spring. Their glorious blooms are spectacular but brief, then the entire plant begins dying back.

All parts of the plants are toxic to humans, dogs, and cats.

Oriental Poppy Plant Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing Oriental poppy plants:

• Plant in moist, well-draining soil with full sun exposure.
• Add compost to soil regularly and add mulch when overwintering.
• A cold hardy plant, it dislikes high heat and humidity and needs cold temperatures in winter.
• Water Oriental poppy when the soil is dry, and be careful not to overwater.

Light

Give your Oriental poppies full sun, which promotes better flowering.

Soil

Grow Oriental poppy in a well-drained, medium-moist soil enriched with compost. It prefers neutral pH between 6.5 and 7.0. It dislikes clay soil, so make sure to amend the soil well with compost.

Water

During the blooming period (starting when the bud forms), give Oriental poppy one inch of water per week. Otherwise, water when the soil is dry, but do not overwater, especially during dormancy. Oriental poppies dislike overly wet soil, particularly when dormant, which can cause the roots to rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Oriental poppy will grow in any normal temperature and humidity conditions within planting zones 3 to 7. Some cultivars are labeled for zones up to 9, but generally, the plant does not prefer high heat and humidity.

Fertilizer

Use a slow-release fertilizer in spring. For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions. Alternatively, side-dress the soil with compost or manure tea.

Types of Oriental Poppy

• Papaver orientale 'Livermere': Also called 'Beauty of Livermere'; scarlet red flower; two to three feet tall; hardiness zones 3 to 8
• Papaver orientale 'Bolero': Purple-red flower with purple eyes; one to two feet tall; hardiness zones 3 to 8
• Papaver orientale 'Fireball': Bright orange, semi-double or double blooms; compact, at only one foot tall; hardiness zones 3 to 9
• Papaver orientale 'Princess Victoria Louise': Large (6- to 8-inch) salmon-pink blooms; two to three feet tall; hardiness zones 3 to 8
• Papaver orientale 'Patty's Plum': Heavily textured, plum-colored blooms; two to three feet tall; hardiness zones 3 to 8

Propagating Oriental Poppies

Poppies can be divided and may need to have this done once about every five years if the plantings become too crowded. Division can be a little challenging, due to the plant's deep taproot. It's best to do this in late summer, well after the plant has bloomed and become dormant.

1. Carefully dig up the entire plant clump with a shovel or a pitchfork, digging deep to get below the long taproots. If the soil is dry, water the base of the plant deeply before you start digging, as it will make it easier to remove the root system. The taproot can reach 12 inches deep, so dig carefully.
2. Divide the clump by cutting vertically through the root mass so that each portion has one or more eyes plus some taproot and stem.
3. Plant the sections so the tops are 3 inches below the soil line. Water them well and keep them evenly moist.

How to Grow Oriental Poppies From Seed

Direct sowing is the standard method for growing Oriental poppies. The seeds need cold to germinate, so most gardeners sow the seeds in the fall when the soil has cooled after the heat of late summer. If you miss the fall planting, you can sow seeds in spring, about one month before the last frost.

1. Rake the soil so it is smooth and free of rocks. if you garden in clay soil, make sure to amend the soil with compost, working it well into the bed, before sowing seeds.
2. Scatter the seeds.
3. Cover them very lightly with soil; they need some sunlight for germination.
4. Mark the planting area because you won't see the plants for many months, and you might forget where you put them.

And that's all you need to do. Nature takes care of the rest. When the snow melts and the ground warms up in spring, the seeds will germinate and begin their growth.

Potting and Repotting

Growing Oriental poppies in containers is not ideal because of their long tap root, they do much better in garden soil. However, if you have your heart set on them and growing them in pots is your only option, choose a container deep enough to accommodate the plant’s long tap root. Terra-cotta pots are best because they let excess moisture evaporate.

Plant the poppy in a container filled with quality potting mix, which usually comes with a slow-release fertilizer. Water it deeply and keep the soil moist at all times.

When the plant becomes root-bound, it’s time to transplant the poppy to a larger pot, or divide it and replant a section of it in a pot of the same size with fresh potting mix.

Overwintering

Oriental poppies are winter-hardy to USDA zone 3, but they benefit from a thick layer of mulch before the winter sets in to protect their root system against the cold.

Container-grown poppies need winterizing, as the roots are not sufficiently insulated. You can bury the container in garden soil, create an insulating silo, or wrap the pot in burlap and/or bubble wrap for protection. Or move the pot indoors for best protection.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Oriental poppies are largely unbothered by pests. However, if not grown in full sun, they are prone to powdery mildew. Root rot can occur in soil that does not drain well. Ensure that Oriental poppies have adequate air circulation and that soil is amended to provide good drainage.

How to Get Oriental Poppies to Bloom

Bloom Months

Oriental poppy typically blooms in the spring and summer, between May and June.

What Do Oriental Poppy Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Oriental poppies can be identified by their brightly colored, crepe-paper-like petals, usually orange and red but sometimes pink and white, and colored buds and splotches, which can be plum or white.

The big, thistle-like leaves of Oriental poppy are downy, deeply lobed, and rich green, offeringaesthetic value in their own right. The leaves are tightly packed, and the flower stems are stiff and hairy, making Oriental poppy a good cut flower. The pods that succeed the flowers also have an ornamental quality and are dried for floral arrangements and crafts. Some people describe the scent of Oriental poppy as that resembling almond or vanilla.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Oriental poppies not blooming could have several reasons. The easiest one to rule out is whether they are getting insufficient sunlight. Oriental poppies need full sun to bloom.

The soil might be lacking phosphorus, which promotes flowering. Try a bloom-boosting fertilizer that contains more phosphorus than nitrogen.

Because of the long taproot, it can take at least one growing season, sometimes longer, for the plants to get established.

Poor drainage or too much water can be another reason why they don't bloom.

From: thespruce