Papaver orientale Manhattan - Oriental Poppy

Papaver orientale 'Manhattan' is a beautiful variety of Oriental Poppy. The crumpled silk corollas, as big as peonies, are pale lilac in color with a dark purple macule at the center. They bloom in late spring and summer. The silky and slightly messy foliage forms a lush bluish-green clump that stands out in flower beds. It is a sturdy variety, resistant to wind and rain. Commonly found in cottage gardens, it is easy to grow in all good deep soils, in full sun.

Papaver orientale is an herbaceous perennial of the poppy family, native to Asia. The 'Manhattan' cultivar is a hybrid from the 'New York' series, developed for improved resistance to wind and rain. This plant has sturdy stems, reaching a height of about 70 cm (28in). It forms a bushy clump that reaches 40 cm (16in) in height (for the foliage) and 50 cm (20in) in width. Flowering begins in early June and continues into July, usually stopped by heat and drought. Each flower stalk bears a single pendant bud that turns upwards, giving rise to a large flower, approximately 15 cm (6in) in diameter, with crumpled petals arranged in 2 rows, soft lilac pink and maculated with dark purple at the base of the corolla. The flower remains open for a few hours before dropping its petals. Well-established plants produce multiple flower stalks, ensuring a continuous display of flowers for about 3 weeks. After flowering, the foliage tends to disappear, leaving a small basal rosette in autumn, a characteristic adaptation to high temperatures and summer drought. This plant has large, rough, dissected and hairy leaves, giving them a very decorative gray-blue reflection. The fleshy and deep roots of this Oriental poppy do not tolerate transplantation well, especially in mature plants.

Oriental poppies are equally at home in sophisticated flower beds as well as in cottage gardens or rustic compositions. Pair them with artemisias, lavenders, asters, and nepetas with delicate blooms. They also complement autumn orpine whose foliage develops during summer, Damask daisies, and cosmos for a summery atmosphere with soft colors. In any case, accompany them with perennial plants as they will fill the empty space after flowering.

They completely disappear and go dormant in the middle of summer, only to reemerge in autumn and bloom again as soon as the temperatures become milder.