These are finally blooming. I've planted them in several spots to see where they do best. They seem to like the well drained beds, especially when they go dormant in the summer. I've learned a lot from Poppysue. I've got several that I haven't killed yet!!
Calalily: I have an oriental poppy in my south bed that comes up early each spring. After it blooms, the leaves do not die back. It's green until first freeze. My bleeding heart behaves the same way. I even get a second lesser blooming from the bleedingheart in late summer. The oriental poppy often develops a second budding before the fall freeze. I guess our cool soil and moderate summers make the difference.
Weez, that's great!! The first hint of hot weather, mine go dormant. The poppy comes up in the fall and stays green all winter. I had a plum colored one that didn't come back. I think it got too shaded in the bed where I planted it. The Bleeding Hearts do great here, just no foliage during the summer, so I plant coleus where they are.
My 8 year old oriental poppy has buds on it... a couple, anyway. The smaller Pizzocatas haven't budded yet. I started some Coral Reef and Checkers this spring, but can't remember which flat they are in.. it's a busy spring!
I divided my bleeding heart this spring, and I got many starts from it, and I still have a huge bleeding heart in the bed. It's just coming up, about half way, so no buds for awhile.
Weezy, be sure to post a photo of your checkers, I had some seeds last year that didnt do a thing....I was so looking forward to it too.
Pebble, I'll be glad to keep you posted on the Checker, if I find it, but it will take it another year or more to bloom. I don't know why I keep falling for the yummy pics in the T&M catalog!
I planted poppies by the handful. how can I tell which ones are annual and which ones if any are perennial? some of the leaves look very different.
TiG, I've found that the leaves on the annual ones are smoother and more blue.
how do I know for sure which ones to yank and which ones not to? are all the perennials true to form and I could look them up or something?
tiG: My experience with annual poppies are the Californias (Eschscholzia californica), the opium poppies (Papaver somniferum), and the Shirley poppies (Papaver rhoeas). All the somniferum seem to have those mint green leaves, and they tend to get tall. The rhoeas have the hairy stems and leaves, and they tend to go every which way in a basket. The Californias have lacy leaves and are really distingishable. Most of these poppies will self-seed, so they are as good as perennial in some climates. The seed pods will spread seed when they open at the edge of the crown.
As for perennials, there are the Oriental poppies, the Iceland (shortlived but re-seeders), and the blue poppies (Meconopsis). There are many others that don't grow around here. The Orientals are pretty obvious, as are the blue poppies, and the Icelands would probably come back no matter what you do to them.
I'd suggest you let the poppies form pods and dry. When you see holes forming underneath the heads, you can shake out the seed and broadcast it or save it to sow in the spring. I think my favorites are the somniferum poppies because they come in so many colors. Some look like peonies, some like big tulips. Some have patterns in the petals, and some have saw-tooth edges on the petals.
The Californias are marginal here, but probably do very well down your way. They come in some wonderful colors now, as well. I have a couple Somniferum types that come back true from seed all the time. I think it would depend on how close the plants are to other poppies of their species, as to whether they will look the same as the parent plant.
That's what I meant to say, lol. That's a great explination Weez!! I've found that the annuals do better here in the south and reseed so well, you will never know that they are annuals.
Hey, Calalily: What is your experience with "Ladybirds", Papaver commutatum. I have grown what I think are Ladybirds for the last couple years. Are they in a class of their own?
Weez, I don't think I've ever grown them. Are they red?
Yes, they are red with black dots on the inner petals.. quite different. I find it interesting that they are not listed with the somniferums. I'm not quite sure if mine are ladybirds or not, but the description matches. I'll post a pic under annuals.
Weez, I would love to see them. Sounds a bit like the Flanders Poppy
Calalily: You know, I am a bit confused about the Flanders Poppy. Is it the little corn poppies that the American Legion poppy drive poppies would suggest, or does it have a dark center. In the annual section, I will also post a thread with some poppies that were grown from seed a friend got in France.. one would think they'd be the Flanders Poppy, but I just don't know. You have any insight?
I will have to do some checking. I was reading about them somewhere.
Calalily: Here's the thread I started about the Ladybirds:
http://davesgarden.com/showthread/260905.html
Calalily: Here is the thread I started concerning the French poppies: http://davesgarden.com/showthread/260909.html
