Oriental Poppy Pink Perfection - Papaver orientale

Papaver orientale 'Pink Perfection' is a variety of Oriental Poppy in search of the perfect pink. Its flowers unfold several layers of petals like tissue paper, in a gorgeous bright medium pink. To attract even more attention, the petals are very heavily fringed and the centre of the flowers is a deep reddish black. The foliage maintains a beautiful bright green throughout the season. It is a sturdy poppy that blooms in May and June, and if the soil is fertile and remains moist, the flowers reappear in September-October. This very perennial plant is easy to grow in all good garden soils, even limestone and dry in summer, in the sun, and its flowers picked in bud are superb in bouquets.

The 'Pink Perfection' Poppy is a horticultural selection. This plant is derived from Papaver orientale, a herbaceous perennial of the Papaveraceae family, native to Asia. This variety develops sturdy floral stems of 50 cm initially to reach 80 cm in height at maturity and forms a tuft of foliage thickening over the years. Flowering takes place in May-June, before the arrival of summer heat and dryness. Each hairy floral stem carries a single pendulous bud at its end, turning towards the sky to unfold a large flower 13 to 15 cm in diameter, composed of crumpled petals arranged in 2 rows. The flower remains open for a few hours before dropping its petals. Well-established plants produce several floral stems, ensuring flower renewal for about 3 weeks. After flowering, the foliage tends to disappear, to make room in autumn for a small basal rosette, characteristic of adaptation to high temperatures and summer drought. The foliage consists of large rough, cut, medium green leaves covered with hairs that give them a very decorative sheen. The fleshy deep roots of this Oriental poppy do not transplant well, especially in adult plants.

Oriental poppies fit well in elegant flower beds as well as in cottage gardens or rustic compositions. Their foliage forms a luxuriant tuft that stands out in flower beds. The 'Pink Perfection' variety pairs beautifully with the tall stems of white lupins ('West Country Polar Princess white') or pink ('La Chatelaine Rose'), as well as with the silvery foliage of Stachys byzantina, lavenders, daisies, and thistles. They also elegantly accompany border roses, love-in-a-mist, and cosmos, to create a gentle summer atmosphere. When designing your flower bed, keep in mind that the foliage of this poppy disappears during the summer.