| Oriental poppy | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Papaveraceae |
| Genus: | Papaver |
| Species: | P. orientale |
| Binomial name | |
| Papaver orientale (L.) |
|
Papaver orientale (Oriental poppy) is a perennial [1] flowering plant native to the Caucasus, northeastern Turkey, and northern Iran, not the Orient as the name implies. [2]
Oriental poppies throw up a mound of finely cut, hairy foliage in spring. After flowering the foliage dies away entirely, a property that allows their survival in the summer drought of Central Asia. Late-developing plants can be placed nearby to fill the developing gap. Fresh leaves appear with autumn rains.
Contents |
Papaver orientale has a hardiness zone of 3-8 average. It usually thrives in light calcareous soil and in full sun or part shade. Seeds are sown after the potential of frost has past, the average temperature is approximately 21 °C and when soil has thoroughly warmed. The seeds are sown at a depth of about one centimeter, or less as light may stimulate germination. Oriental Poppies do not handle transplanting or over-watering well. Germination period is 10–20 days. Mulch can be used to protect the plant over the winter and cutting off the stem will produce a second flower.
Aside from its natural brilliant orange-scarlet, since the later 19th century selective breeding for gardens has created a range of colors from clean white with eggplant-black blotches (Barr's White is the standard against which other whites are measured), through clear true pinks and salmon pinks to deep maroons and plum. In addition petals may be creased or fringed, such as Türkenlouis.
Cultivars can be grouped by colour: Red and Orange, White, Pink to Salmon and Multicoloured. These include;
Red - Beauty of Livermere, Brilliant, Türkenlouis, Olympia, G.I. Joe (double)
Mahogany-red Indian Chief Orange - Olympia
Black and White, Maiden's Blush, Perry's White, Barr's White, Royal Wedding
Papillon (pink), Watermelon, Helen Elizabeth, Victoria Louise, Mrs. Perry, Cedric Morris (salmon pink), Patty's Plum
Carousel (white with orange petal edges), Carnival (frilled white petals with orange-red accents), Pinnacle(white and scarlet-red petals), Picotee (creased white petals with frilly orange edges), Fatima (white petals edged in pink)
Oriental Poppies are closely related to the Great Scarlet Poppy Papaver bracteatum, which can be grown for their use in the commercial extraction of thebaine, a main source for the legal synthesis of opiates. This species, however, does not produce any narcotic alkaloids such as morphine or codeine. Many garden Oriental poppies are actually hybrids with (Papaver bracteatum) and Papaver pseudo-orientale.