Oriental Poppy Scarlet Red is a perennial plant. It belongs to the Papaveraceae family, as do: Stinking Celandine, Poppy, Yellow Horned Poppy, Feather Poppy, False Poppy, Rough Poppy, Tulip Poppy, Downy Poppy, Pale Poppy, Great Poppy, California Poppy, Climbing Poppy, Finger Poppy and Yellow Poppy. It originates from Central Asia (Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). It is a beautiful large plant with red flowers with a black centre. The leaves are light green and finely cut. These leaves dry out after flowering. This adaptation is necessary in the climate where the Oriental Poppy originates. Summers there are dry and hot. The leaves sprout again in autumn when it starts to rain.
Plant this plant in the garden in combination with other plants that develop their leaves, so that the bare space left behind is filled in during the summer. It can also be grown very well in large pots, balcony boxes or other containers. This plant can also be grown on a balcony. The Oriental Poppy seeds itself easily, making it a wonderful plant for the wild natural garden. Bees and other beneficial insects also love this plant. This plant flowers from May to July. Remove dead flowers regularly. Cut the plant back completely in spring and it will grow back on its own. Hardy perennial. Height: 50 – 100 cm.
Indoor sowing: February - end of March
Outdoor sowing: end of March - end of May
Germination: 7 - 28 days
Germination temp.: 10 - 20 ºC
Sowing depth: shallow
Planting distance: 25 - 35 cm
Plant position: sunny - sheltered - half shaded
Flowering period: May - July
Sow indoors from February onwards. Sow in a tray with well-moistened potting soil. Sow shallowly and thinly and don't cover the seeds, as Oriental Poppy is a dark germinator. However, place the tray in a dark room. Ensure a germination temperature of at least 10°C. Colder temperatures aren't effective. Cover the trays with a lid to retain moisture and store them in a cool, dark place. Maintain a consistent temperature and ensure that the temperature doesn't drop, especially at night. Depending on the temperature, the seeds will germinate after 7 till 28 days. Remove the lid as soon as the seeds have germinated. Place the plants outside in the sun for 10 till 14 days during the day to harden them off, from the beginning of May. After this period, the plants can be placed in a sunny, sheltered spot with well-loosened and well-drained soil from mid-May onwards. Keep well weeded.
Sow outdoors in a sunny, sheltered spot with well-loosened soil and good drainage from the end of March onwards. The soil shouldn't be too rich in nutrients, as Oriental Poppy grows best in poor soil. Remove grass, tree roots, plant roots and stones. Sow the small seeds superficially and thinly. It helps to mix the dark, small seeds with dry sand. This helps to spread the seeds better and to see where you have sown them. Oriental Poppy is a dark germinator, but the seeds shouldn't be covered. After the seeds have sprouted, you don't need to do much maintenance. In extreme heat and drought, you should water the plant. Sow broadly or in rows. After the seeds have emerged, thin them out to 25-35 cm. Remove the dead flowers regularly to enjoy the Oriental Poppy for longer. This beautiful flower self-seeds very easily and is therefore also suitable for the wild natural garden.
