Oriental Poppies: How to Grow Them?

Botany

Native to Asia, the Oriental Poppy is a herbaceous perennial from the poppy family. The Papaver genus includes over 70 species, divided between annuals (corn poppies, California poppies…) and perennials (Himalayan poppy, tree poppy…). Persisting year after year, Papaver orientale is a hardy perennial plant, making it a reliable choice for the garden. While it’s the most famous member of the Papaveraceae family, its claim to fame lies in producing the largest flowers. They sway atop long, sturdy stems. These qualities make it one of the most beloved perennial poppies for generously enlivening flower beds, borders, slopes or rockeries until midsummer.

The Oriental Poppy prefers full sun. It tolerates most soils though it thrives in light, well-drained ground. It withstands cold – some varieties survive temperatures as low as -30°C – but detests waterlogged roots, especially in winter: excess moisture can cause root rot, particularly in the first year after planting. Only water during dry spells!

The long, fleshy taproot requires deep soil for proper development and takes a few years to establish. While perennial poppies are relatively easy to grow from seed, potted plants save a year’s growth: seedlings typically flower in their third year. Our potted plants bloom the year after planting (sometimes even in their first year if planted early). Slow to establish initially, the Oriental Poppy compensates with remarkable longevity – some mother plants reach 40 years old!

Papaver orientale has an upright, bushy habit, forming clumps about 50cm wide. Its large deciduous leaves, green or bluish-green, are rough and deeply lobed with toothed edges. After flowering, the foliage dies back in autumn, leaving tight rosettes at ground level. When the leaves disappear in late summer, the gap can be striking: pair poppies with Artemisia, Lavender, Asters or Nepeta for light flowering companions, or annuals like Cosmos or Love-in-a-mist.

Oriental Poppy: emerging leaves and seed pods

By mid-May, flower stems rise 60-90cm tall (sometimes over 1m), each bearing a single bud. The large, hairy buds open into spectacular solitary cup-shaped blooms up to 20cm across (‘Princesse Louise’).

This family offers remarkable flower diversity in size, form and colour. From delicate crinkled or crepe-textured satin petals in scarlet (‘Allegro‘, ‘Turkenlouis‘), pink (‘Queen Alexandra‘, ‘Clochard‘), flaming orange, white (‘Perry’s White’) or coral, plum (‘Patty’s Plum’), sometimes with jet-black or white basal blotches. All feature prominent black centres with numerous stamens. Some varieties are double or have fringed petals.

The ephemeral blooms last just 10 days. Well-established plants produce multiple flower stems, extending the display to about 3 weeks.

The fragile petals give way to curious grey-green seed pods containing thousands of seeds – these decorative pods encourage self-seeding or make excellent dried arrangements.

Papaver orientale ‘Manhattan’ – ‘Ruffled Party’ – ‘Victoria Louise’

The Oriental Poppy is ideal for low-maintenance gardens: it requires no pruning, minimal care and sometimes self-sows. As it’s long-lived and dislikes disturbance, it’s perfect for lazy gardeners.

Papaver orientale ‘Harvest Moon’ – Photo Credit: Nicole et Patrick Mioulane MAP

Note: All poppies excrete a toxic white latex (“milk”) that may cause mild eye irritation: wash hands after handling or wear gloves. However, our Promesse de Fleurs team couldn’t find anyone who’d actually suffered poppy burns!

Unlike annual corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas) or opium poppies (P. somniferum), Oriental Poppies return year after year. Though unscented, their flowers attract pollinators.

Beautiful, useful and tough, these giant poppies have everything to recommend them for both cottage gardens and more formal plantings.

The main varieties

Main Varieties

Most Popular Varieties

Our Favourites

Other Interesting Varieties

There are dozens of Oriental Poppy varieties, from classic to the most surprising. With red, pink or orange petals, spotted or not, fringed or double, the main selection criteria are the flower colour – diverse and surprising depending on the chosen cultivars – and their more or less delightfully crumpled appearance.

Papaver orientale Prinzessin Victoria Louise - Oriental Poppy

Striking with its very large single salmon-pink flowers (the largest of their kind, over 20 cm in diameter!) featuring thick, pleated petals with a purplish-black spot.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 90 cm

See the product sheet

Papaver orientale Allegro - Oriental Poppy

Large scarlet-red flowers with a black spot at the base of the petals. Very floriferous!

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 70 cm

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Papaver orientale Perrys White - Oriental Poppy

Large white flowers with a purplish-black centre. Very spectacular due to the size of its flowers and its height. Its contrasting blooms are widely used in contemporary borders.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 90 cm

See the product sheet

Papaver orientale Beauty of Livermere - Oriental Poppy

This variety bears enormous dark red flowers with a large black heart, resembling giant poppies.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 90 cm

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Papaver orientale Picotee - Oriental Poppy

A rather late-flowering Poppy, but unique with its pure white, pleated petals edged in bright orange.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Papaver orientale Türkenlouis - Oriental Poppy

Large, deeply serrated red flowers.

• Flowering time June to August
• Height at maturity 70 cm

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Oriental Poppy Brilliant Seeds - Papaver orientale

With a vibrant, bold scarlet-red colour and black spots at the centre of its silky petals, this classic is one we adore.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 70 cm

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Papaver orientale Queen Alexandra - Oriental Poppy

For us, this is the most beautiful Poppy with its soft salmon-pink hue and very simple flowers. It evokes the charm of an English garden – so romantic!

• Flowering time June to August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Papaver orientale Pattys Plum - Oriental Poppy

It was the first plum-coloured variety: a unique shade among Poppies! The crinkled petals resemble crepe paper.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 70 cm

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Papaver orientale Clochard - Oriental Poppy

Unique with its large, deeply serrated double tea-rose flowers.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 50 cm

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Papaver orientale May Queen - Oriental Poppy

With its semi-double flowers in a beautiful orange-red and no spots, this variety forms very large, natural clumps.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Papaver orientale 'Royal Chocolate Distinction'

A new variety in oxblood to chocolate-brown, sometimes crimson-red.

• Flowering time June to August
• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Planting Oriental Poppies

Where to Plant It?

Oriental Poppies thrive throughout France and enjoy all climates. Originating from mountainous regions, they retain excellent hardiness, allowing them to withstand harsh conditions (down to –30°C).

This is a full-sun plant, preferring open, exposed locations. They can be planted in flower beds, slopes, dry rockeries, or along vegetable garden borders. Poppy flowers fade quickly after blooming, and the foliage disappears in summer (though it may re-emerge in autumn if spent flower stems and leaves are cut back early), leaving bare patches. Avoid planting too many poppies or spacing them too closely, and pair them with other perennials or ornamental plants that will take over attractively. Therefore, careful placement is key: in full sun, typically at the back of a flower bed.

Poppy ‘Patty’s Plum’ / GAP Photos – Mark Bolton -Design Liz Legge

They prefer deep, light, cool, and well-drained soil: their roots, prone to rot, dislike waterlogged conditions. They thrive in dry, chalky, sandy, or stony soils where water doesn’t stagnate. Excess water can kill them, but prolonged drought won’t faze them! If your soil is heavy and sticky, add pure sand at planting time—they tolerate both poor and richer soils.

With their tall, elegant stems, Oriental Poppies create stunning, wild, and colourful bouquets when mixed with grasses. Harvest them in bud and immediately sear the cut end over a flame or let them air-dry for 30 minutes on absorbent paper to stop latex seepage.

Due to their long, thick taproots needing depth to flourish, container cultivation is not recommended.

When to Plant?

Plant potted seedlings in early spring, between February and April. By then, frost risks lessen, and warming soil encourages root establishment. Alternatively, autumn planting (September–November) is possible, avoiding frost periods.

How to Plant?

• Loosen the soil, digging deeply (about 30cm) to accommodate their long taproot.
• For heavy, compact, or clay soil, mix in coarse sand—three times the pot’s volume.
• Position the crown level with the soil, neither too deep nor too shallow.
• Backfill with fine soil.
• Water regularly initially, then moderately—poppies tolerate drought well.

A single plant adds striking presence to a bed. For a “meadow” effect, plant in groups of 3, 5, or 7, spaced about 40cm apart.

Bare-root Oriental Poppies are sometimes sold, but potted plants generally yield better results.

How to Care for Oriental Poppies?

Requiring little care, Oriental Poppies are the faithful friends of weekend gardeners or gardens without gardeners. Cut back faded flower stems and remove yellowing foliage during summer. After flowering, also remove the seed pods if you wish to avoid any risk of self-seeding. If the soil tends to dry out in summer, hoe around the base to break up any crust formation.

In very windy locations, taller specimens may need staking: some varieties produce stems that can exceed one metre in height.

In dry, well-drained soils, most Poppies are relatively resistant to diseases and pests (some infestations of black aphids may occur: soapy water will deal with them). However, if the soil is too damp, a white powdery coating caused by mildew may appear.

How to Propagate Oriental Poppies?

Sowing

Perennial Poppies are relatively easy to grow from seed by resowing those you harvest once the seed pods have dried or by purchasing them in packets. Note: Homegrown seedlings are sometimes not uniform, and the colours may differ from the parent plant. Dividing clumps is less unpredictable and helps preserve the original hues. Sow the seeds directly in place, quite thinly, from April to July at a maximum depth of 1.5 mm. Rake the soil finely before sowing. Water well until seedlings appear in 10 to 15 days.

To learn more, check out our advice sheet: “Sowing Seeds Directly in the Ground”

Cuttings

Taking cuttings from Oriental Poppies is relatively straightforward. After three or four years of cultivation, you can propagate them by root cuttings taken in late summer, once the foliage has died back. After lifting the plant from the ground, take a few thick root sections, 5 to 8 cm long, and plant them horizontally in sandy soil. Keep them covered and warm until new shoots emerge.

Division

Divide the clump at the same time by splitting it with a spade. Replant immediately. Success can be hit or miss, so root cuttings are often preferable.

These operations can also be carried out in spring, but in this case, you’ll need to wait an extra year for flowering. Generally, Oriental Poppies dislike being moved or divided, and they usually take a couple of years to decide to flower again after transplanting or cuttings. This slow establishment, combined with the fact that their lifespan often outlasts the gardener’s, means buying new plants is usually considered a more cost-effective investment than division.

Combining Oriental Poppies

Oriental Poppies are very easy to pair, they can even inspire the creation of a natural-style garden with low-maintenance plants.

To fill the bare space left after their flowering, pair them with perennials that bloom in late summer or autumn (Asters, Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Giant Snapdragons, Heleniums, Anemones and Autumn Sedums…) whose foliage develops during summer.

They will set the tone for a flowerbed, adding substance with their strong presence, either by creating contrast or in a monochromatic scheme.

Traditionally, their intense colours are paired with complementary shades for a cheerful, vibrant effect—think red-blue, orange-peach, white-purple combinations—often alongside upright perennials.

Pair Oriental Poppies with Iris, Columbines, Baptisias, Peonies, Delphiniums, for example… or with Iris and Foxgloves, as in this very chic flowerbed:

Papaver orientale ‘Patty’s Plum’ – Iris ‘Jane Phillips’- Digitalis ‘Sutton Apricot’ – © MAP

They are also a staple in wild gardens and contemporary prairie-style gardens, they work wonderfully paired with bronze or yellow grasses or fennel, or with airy flowers like Crambe or Baby’s Breath. But with their tall, delicate stems, they also bring elegance and originality to more sophisticated spaces alongside Alliums and Sage.

Oriental Poppy ‘Beauty of Livermere’ and Bronze Fennel / Oriental Poppy ‘Perry’s White’ and Allium ‘Globe Master’

Need more inspiration? Check out our guide “Oriental Poppies: 8 Garden Pairing Ideas”