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Papaver orientale May Queen - Oriental Poppy

Papaver orientale May Queen
Oriental Poppy

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Rapidly spreading sucker variety, forming beautiful colonies when it thrives. The stems and flower buds are covered with particularly silver hairs. Numerous semi-double medium-sized flowers, orange-red. A regular in curiosity gardens, this young plant is easy to cultivate in ordinary soil in the sun.  
Flower size
12 cm
Height at maturity
60 cm
Spread at maturity
30 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -29°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November
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Flowering time June to July
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Description

The Oriental Poppy 'May Queen' is a spreading variety of Oriental Poppy that can form beautiful colonies when it is happy. Its semi-double, medium-sized flowers are produced abundantly in May-June. Their crinkled petals are a solid orange-red color, without spots, arranged around a black center. The particularly silver stems and flower buds create a refined combination with the flower color. This very generous plant is easy to grow in all good garden soils, in the sun, and its flowers, when picked in bud stage, are stunning in bouquets.

 

The Oriental Poppy is a herbaceous perennial plant in the Papaveraceae family, native to Asia. The cultivar 'May Queen' is a horticultural selection derived from this plant. This poppy has solid, silver-haired stems that are approximately 60 cm (24in) tall. It forms a bushy clump that quickly expands. Flowering begins in May-June and sometimes continues into July, usually halted by heat and drought. Each flower stem bears a single, pendulous bud covered in silver hairs, turning upwards to reveal a flower that is approximately 12 cm (5in) in diameter, with crinkled petals arranged in 2 rows, in a very vibrant orange-red color. The flower remains open for a few hours before dropping its petals. Established plants produce multiple flower stems, ensuring a succession of flowers for about 3 weeks. After flowering, the foliage tends to disappear, leaving a small basal rosette in autumn, which is characteristic of adaptation to high temperatures and summer drought. This plant has broad, rough, and hairy leaves, giving them a very decorative gray-blue hue. Pruning after flowering promotes the formation of new, highly ornamental foliage.

 

Oriental poppies are equally at home in sophisticated flower beds as they are in cottage gardens or wildflower compositions. Their hairy and somewhat disheveled foliage forms a lush, bluish-green clump that stands out in flower beds. Pair them with artemisias, lavender, asters, and nepetas with light flowerings. They also beautifully complement autumn stonecrops, whose foliage develops during summer, as well as damask daisies and cosmos for a summer ambiance with soft colors. In any case, accompany them with perennials as they will fill the space left empty after flowering. They can also be paired with Thermopsis, lupins, and carnations at the edge of a flower bed.

Papaver orientale May Queen - Oriental Poppy in pictures

Papaver orientale May Queen - Oriental Poppy (Flowering) Flowering
Papaver orientale May Queen - Oriental Poppy (Foliage) Foliage

Flowering

Flower colour orange
Flowering time June to July
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 12 cm
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms
Flowering description Semi-double orange-red around a black centre.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green
Foliage description Silver, deciduous.

Plant habit

Height at maturity 60 cm
Spread at maturity 30 cm
Growth rate fast

Botanical data

Genus

Papaver

Species

orientale

Cultivar

May Queen

Family

Papaveraceae

Other common names

Oriental Poppy

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference8397111

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Planting and care

Although preferring to grow in a light and fresh soil, oriental poppies also tolerate dry and gravelly, limestone, as well as heavy and clayey, wet soils, as long as they are not waterlogged in winter. Another characteristic of this poppy: its foliage disappears shortly after flowering, but if care is taken to cut back the faded inflorescences early, new foliage emerges at the end of summer, filling the gap left for the end of the season. Pruning the entire plant after flowering promotes the growth of new foliage that is much more beautiful than the old one.

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Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 5 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral, Calcareous
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Free-draining.

Care

Pruning instructions Remove the faded inflorescences, to encourage the plant to produce new foliage.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time July
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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