Ornamental · Papaveraceae
Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale
Give it full sun and sharp drainage, and the oriental poppy throws out huge silken blooms every spring.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 3–7
24–35 in · 60–90 cm
Overview
The oriental poppy is a hardy border perennial grown for one thing above all: enormous, crepe-paper flowers in scarlet, orange, plum, and crimson that open in late spring. Each bloom lasts only a few days, but a clump in full flower is one of the boldest sights in the garden. The plant comes back from a deep, fleshy taproot year after year and shrugs off winters as cold as -40°F (-40°C).
It has one quirk worth knowing before you plant it. After flowering, the whole plant goes dormant for the summer, the leaves yellow and die back, and the spot sits bare until fresh foliage returns in fall. That gap is normal, not a sign of trouble, and it shapes where you put the plant and what you grow alongside it.
Poppies ask for sun and drainage and little else. Once a clump is settled it handles drought and dislikes being fussed over, especially being watered too much. Plant it right and leave it alone, and it will outlast most of the perennials around it.
Care
The short version: full sun and sharp, well-drained soil, watered only when the top half dries out. Feed lightly in spring, expect the plant to vanish in midsummer, and otherwise leave the deep taproot undisturbed.
Light
Give an oriental poppy full sun for the best flowering, though it will take a little partial shade. The more direct light it gets, the sturdier the stems and the heavier the bloom.
Water
Let the top half of the soil dry out between drinks, which usually means watering only every 7 to 14 days. Once the plant is established it handles drought well, and soggy ground is the fastest way to rot the taproot. Through summer dormancy it wants almost no water at all.
Soil
Plant in well-drained loam or sandy soil, which matters far more than fertility here. The plant copes with a wide pH band, anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, but it will not forgive a heavy, wet site.
Temperature
This is a genuinely cold-hardy perennial, comfortable from -40°F to 86°F (-40°C to 30°C). The deep taproot rides out hard winters with no protection.
Humidity
Average outdoor humidity is all it needs, so there's no figure to aim for. Good drainage and airflow count for much more than any moisture in the air.
Feeding
A single spring feed does the job, using a balanced general-purpose fertilizer or a topdressing of compost. There's no need to feed once the plant heads into its summer rest.
Pruning
Deadhead spent blooms, then cut back the yellowing foliage once the plant slides into summer dormancy. Fresh basal leaves emerge in fall, so that cut-back clump is only resting, not dead.
Repotting
Oriental poppies resent disturbance and are rarely moved or divided. If flowering drops off and the clump looks crowded and tired, that's the cue it has finally outgrown its spot.
Size & spacing
Plants reach 24 to 35 inches (60 to 90 cm) tall with a spread of 6 to 24 inches (15 to 60 cm). Give each clump room to settle in, since it won't want to be lifted later.
When to plant
Oriental poppies run on a spring schedule. Plant them in spring or fall, watch for the big blooms in late spring and early summer, then let them slip into dormancy through the heat of the year.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Late winter to early spring
- Plant: Spring or fall
- Harvest: Late spring to early summer
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–7
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Oriental poppies are tough, so trouble is rare and usually points to one of two things: soil that holds too much water, or the natural midsummer dieback that catches new growers off guard. Match what you see below before you reach for a fix.
Wilting plant with a blackened crown and collapse
This is root rot, and it almost always traces back to soil that stays too wet. Dig down and you'll find mushy, dark, foul-smelling roots around the fleshy taproot. Cut your watering right back, work sand or grit into the bed to open up the drainage, and move the plant somewhere raised if the spot stays soggy.
Fix:
- Improve drainage by amending soil with sand or grit
- Reduce watering and avoid wet sites
- Move or replant in a raised, well-drained location
Foliage yellows and dies back, leaving a midsummer gap
This is summer dormancy, not a disease, and it happens every year once the flowers finish. The leaves wither, the clump disappears, and fresh basal foliage pushes up again in fall. Cut away the spent leaves and plant something later-rising nearby, like baby's breath or Boltonia, so the border doesn't sit bare.
Fix:
- Cut away withered foliage
- Interplant with later-developing perennials to fill the void
Toxicity
This is a poisonous plant from top to bottom. Every part holds isoquinoline alkaloids in its milky sap, and chewing the leaves, stems, or pods can sedate and sicken pets, livestock, and people alike. Keep cats, dogs, horses, and grazing animals away from it, don't let children near the blooms or seed pods, and wash your hands after cutting stems.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Toxic
A cat that chews the leaves or sap can turn drowsy and unsteady on its feet, go off its food, and get an upset stomach. Very large amounts can drop it into a deep, hard-to-rouse sleep.
Dogs Toxic
Watch a dog for sedation, a wobbly walk, drooling, and a turned-down dinner bowl. The alkaloids in the sap act on the nervous system, so a big mouthful can leave a dog dangerously sluggish.
Horses Toxic
Horses that get into the foliage or trimmings tend to go quiet and drowsy with a queasy gut. Keep poppy out of their reach and well away from anything they graze.
Rabbits Toxic
The same alkaloids make every part of the plant unsafe for rabbits. Don't let them nibble the leaves, and keep clippings out of the hutch.
Livestock Toxic
Cattle, sheep, and goats can be sedated and made ill by the foliage, so fence them off from any planting and never toss trimmings into a pasture.
Birds Caution
The toxic alkaloids run through the whole plant, so treat it as off-limits for pet birds and don't offer any part to them.
People Caution
No part of an oriental poppy is food, and eating it can make a person ill. Keep children away from the showy blooms and seed pods, and wash your hands after handling the milky sap.
Keep cut stems and plant trimmings away from pets and grazing animals; wash hands after handling the milky sap.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Most oriental poppies on offer are named cultivars chosen for flower color and height. These are the ones you'll meet most often.
Beauty of Livermere
A tall cultivar at 2 to 3 feet that carries deep crimson-red flowers and self-seeds readily, so you can also raise it from seed.
Patty's Plum
Stands out for its dusky plum-mauve flowers on stems around 2 to 2.5 feet tall.
Allegro
A compact pick at 1 to 1.5 feet, with bright orange-scarlet flowers that suit the front of a border.
Turkenlouis
Shows off fringed, feathered scarlet-orange petals on stems 2 to 3 feet tall.
Companions
Plant near
Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata): Its sprawling form expands later in summer to fill the gap left when poppy foliage dies back.
Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides): Flowers in late summer and early fall, masking the void left by the dormant poppy.
How to propagate
You can multiply an oriental poppy by splitting an established clump or by starting fresh from seed, though neither is quick to reward you.
DivisionModerate
Fall, about four to six weeks before the ground freezes · 4 to 6 weeks to root before freeze; full establishment the following season
Lift and split the fleshy roots in fall, four to six weeks before the ground freezes, so each piece has time to root in before winter. The divisions settle that season but only hit their stride and flower well the following year.
SeedModerate
Late winter to early spring, or sow outdoors in fall · One to two seasons to reach flowering size
Sow in late winter to early spring, or scatter outdoors in fall, and press the seed onto the surface rather than burying it, since poppy seed needs light to sprout. Be patient, because a seedling takes one to two seasons to reach flowering size, and some cultivars will self-seed once they're happy.
Myths
Oriental poppies are the opium poppy and are illegal to grow.
Opium comes from Papaver somniferum, which is a different species entirely. Papaver orientale is an ordinary ornamental perennial, grown in gardens for generations, and it is not the opium poppy.