Plum Pudding Poppy

Other Names: Oriental Poppy

Description:

This selection produces numerous ruffled deep pink flowers that display contrasting deep red blotches and crimson centers; stunning when massed in mid-border plantings

Ornamental Features:

Plum Pudding Poppy features bold hot pink round flowers with crimson eyes and a dark red blotch at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It's deeply cut ferny leaves remain grayish green in colour throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes:

Plum Pudding Poppy is an open herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This perennial will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Plum Pudding Poppy is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting

Plant Characteristics:

Plum Pudding Poppy will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This perennial does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder zones. This plant can be propagated by seed.

This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.