Description
Brilliant Scarlet Oriental Poppy Seeds 6585. Open Pollinated. Perennial.
Approx. 800 seeds/pkt (4,000 seeds/gram)
The Brilliant Scarlet Oriental Poppy is perhaps the most spectacular flower in the early summer garden. Known for its massive, paper-like blooms in a vibrant, fiery red, these flowers create a dramatic contrast against their rich green, deeply lobed foliage. Reaching a mature height of 75 cm, these poppies provide a bold splash of colour that signals the start of the summer season.
This is an Open Pollinated Perennial that is exceptionally hardy (down to Zone 3), making it a reliable and long-lived addition to Canadian landscapes.
A unique characteristic of the Oriental Poppy is that the plants die back and go into a period of dormancy during the heat of the summer. To maximize your garden’s beauty, we suggest interplanting poppies with late-flowering perennials such as Coneflowers, Daylilies, or Lilies. These companions will grow in to fill the space as the poppies retire for the season.
Quick Seed Details
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Botanical Name: Papaver orientale
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Type: Open Pollinated Perennial
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Height: 75 cm
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Hardiness: Zone 3
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Features: Brilliant scarlet-red blooms; deer resistant; attracts bees and butterflies.
What you need to know to Plant & Grow
Oriental Poppies have specific light requirements for successful germination and should be handled with care during their dormant phase.
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Sow Indoors: Start seeds in a soilless mix in late February or March. Do not cover the seed, as light is required to induce germination.
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Germination: Seeds typically germinate in 21 days when maintained at 20°C. Grow-on under lights at slightly cooler temperatures before hardening off.
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Sow Outdoors: Direct sowing can take place anytime from May to mid-July, or in late fall for flowering the following season.
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Transplanting & Division: It is best to divide or transplant Oriental Poppies only while they are dormant.
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Care: Provide Full Sun and well-drained soil. Avoid over-watering the area while the plants are dormant in mid-summer to prevent root rot.
Why Brilliant Scarlet Oriental Poppy Seeds belong in Your Garden
If you want a “show-stopper” in your early June garden, there is no substitute for the Oriental Poppy. Its sheer size and intense scarlet colour are unmatched by almost any other perennial. Because it is so hardy, it is a “plant-it-and-forget-it” variety that will reward you with increasingly larger displays year after year.
