Table of contents
- origin and names
- important characteristics
- flower colors
- heyday
- growth
- Location
- Floor
- plant neighbors
- sowing
- root cuttings
- division
- Pour
- Fertilize
- Cut
- pests
- Diseases
- hibernate
With its blossoms, Turkish poppy provides one of the most beautiful splashes of color in the garden. Bright orange and red permeate the perennial. Even as the petals gradually part, they reveal a new gift in the process: the extraordinarily shaped seed pod. As the third in the group, the jagged, hairy leaves form a grey-green contrast. Maintain this oriental beauty with the right care.
origin and names
Turkish poppy seeds naturally come from Turkey. But not only. Its roots reach into Iran and the Caucasus. Turkish poppy isn't his only name either. In everyday language it is also called Turkish poppy, oriental poppy, oriental poppy, garden poppy, perennial poppy and fire poppy. The botanical name "Papaver orientale" is just as sonorous.
important characteristics
The most important characteristics of this poppy plant are:
- perennial perennial
- deep rooter
- tolerates drought and heat
- hardy to -20 degrees
- milky juice in the stem is slightly poisonous
- Growth height: 50 to 120 cm
- large flowers up to 20 cm in diameter
A notice:
Because of the deep-reaching roots, poppies are difficult to transplant.
flower colors
Typical perennial poppy is fiery red, like the original variety, which still grows wild in the mountains of Asia Minor. However, the garden lover in this country can choose from a wide range. Numerous new breeds play with the element of colour. Turkish poppies are now also blooming in white, pink, violet, purple and of course in countless shades of red. Small accents in the form of differently colored spots also enrich the flowers. Popular varieties are:
- red flowering varieties "Alibaba" and "Tango"
- 'Black & White' has white flowers with black dots
- 'Pink Lassie' blooms in pink
- "Mambo" and "Marlene" are new breeds with a bluish tinge
Tip:
Not everything has to bloom uniformly: for example, a white poppy stands out among many red varieties.
heyday
The flowering times also vary for the individual varieties. Many varieties have been specially bred in such a way that the poppy's short flowering times are spread over the entire summer. They begin in May and can extend into autumn.
- Türkenlouis and Karine bloom early
- This is followed by "Effendi" and "Aglaja"
- 'Late bloomer' blooms late
There are still many different varieties, so get detailed advice from your specialist retailer. Here's how to find the strain that's right for you.
Tip:
Combine varieties with different flowering times to extend the overall flowering period.
growth
Depending on the variety, the oriental poppy can grow between 50 and 120 cm. Small varieties are more compact and stable. The short-growing varieties such as "Blickfang" and "Samba", but also all other short-growing varieties, are well suited for the bucket. High-growing varieties occasionally need support to prevent the heavy flower stalks from buckling.
Location
The fire poppy loves full sun, which offers it plenty of light and warmth. Partial shade is only suitable to a limited extent and complete shade is to be expected. The less light the Turkish poppy gets, the fewer flowers are formed. After flowering, Papaver orientale quickly loses its foliage, leaving an "empty" spot in the garden bed. For this reason, it should not be planted in the front row. The possible height of up to 1.20 m also makes it an ideal planting for the middle row of plants. Consider these two aspects when choosing the location.
Floor
The Turkish poppy comes from mountain meadows and calcareous stone slopes into our spoiled gardens. He maintains his modest claims. The ideal soil for the garden poppy can be described as follows:
- humus and sandy
- dry to slightly moist
- permeable
- profoundly relaxed
- moderate nutrient content
- pH neutral
- may be sandy or rocky
Tip:
You can mix heavy clay soil with a little sand to loosen it up. This facilitates root development and also prevents waterlogging.
plant neighbors
Many garden owners strive to cultivate as many types of flowers as possible. Most of the time, however, space is limited and the plants have to grow close together. So the garden poppy will also have immediate neighbors. But not every neighbor is equally compatible for him. You can plant these types of flowers next to garden poppies without hesitation:
- bearded iris
- dahlias
- cornflowers
- daisies
- marigolds
- delphinium
- sage
- tagetes
Tip:
Try to keep a distance of at least 40 centimeters between the individual plants, so each plant has enough space to develop freely.
sowing
Turkish poppy is easy to grow from seed. The best time for sowing the seeds is spring from April to June. Turkish poppy is a taproot and as such does not tolerate transplanting very well. It is better to sow the Turkish poppy directly at the future location in the garden or in the planter. The germination period is 2-3 weeks, provided the air temperature is at an optimal 15 to 20 degrees.
- Choose a suitable location in the garden or a large planter
- Prepare the soil. It must be finely crumbly.
- Scatter the seeds widely.
- Do not cover the seeds or only very little with soil, as light germinates!
- Press the seeds only lightly.
- Gently moisten the soil to avoid washing away the seed.
- Wait for the seeds to germinate and develop into small plants.
- Separate the oriental poppies by leaving only a few strong plants and plucking out the remaining seedlings.
Tip:
Water the sown seeds with a spray bottle. The fine water mist is light and the seeds stay in place.
If you don't cut poppy flowers, the seeds can ripen on the plant. The mature seeds are dispersed by the wind and self-sow in the garden. You might discover a new poppy here and there without the hassle of sowing.
root cuttings
In winter you can cut root cuttings and gain new poppy plants.
- Dig up the roots.
- Cut off some roots right at the root neck.
- Cut the severed roots into sections about 10 cm long.
- Bevel the bottom of the sections.
- Plant the sections in a cool, damp place
After about 2-3 months, the planted root pieces will sprout.
division
The poppy bush quickly spreads. So that it does not proliferate uncontrollably, it can be divided about every three years. Spring is the right season for this. The separated root parts can be used well for propagation.
- Dig up the eyrie carefully without damaging the delicate taproot
- Divide the perennial with a spade or knife
- Choose a suitable location.
- Plant the sections.
Pour
The oriental poppy is frugal and gets by with little water. He is used to extreme drought and heat from his homeland. However, if the heat lasts for a long time and the earth dries out too much, then the poppies growing in the open ground will have to be watered. It looks a little different with poppies that grow in pots:
- he needs water regularly
- the soil should never dry out completely
- Waterlogging must be avoided
- the pot should have drainage holes
- a drainage layer is useful
Tip:
It is better to water your poppy seeds vigorously with water after a few days instead of using smaller amounts every day. This promotes root formation and thus also the stability of the poppy.
Fertilize
When fertilizing the poppy, thrift is the order of the day. Turkish poppy is used to poor soil and needs few nutrients. Some compost can be incorporated into the soil at the start of the new growing season in spring. That's enough to get a sea of flowers in summer. Another organic fertilizer can be used instead of compost. Further regular fertilizer applications are not required.
A notice:
The Turkish poppy does better with a nutrient-poor soil, so avoid over-fertilizing. This can easily happen if, for example, neighboring plants have to be fertilized more often.
Cut
You may separate your Turkish poppy, but it is not required. After flowering in summer, it retracts its above-ground parts anyway. After the foliage has withered, not much is seen of the perennial until fall. After a rest period of 2-3 months, Turkish poppy sprouts new leaves and then overwinters green. The following cutting measures are possible:
- Cut off the stems after flowering if you don't want seeds to form
- Remove yellowed leaves for visual reasons
- The perennial can be cut down to 10 cm in autumn
- Cut flowers for the flower vase, they keep up to 3 weeks
Tip:
You can leave cut parts of the plant where they are, they are a good winter protection for the shrub underneath. Morning is the best time of day to cut flowers for the vase. Select only slightly opened buds.
pests
Like most other garden perennials, the Turkish poppy is not spared from pests. Aphids like to get at the delicious plant sap. Check your perennials for lice at regular intervals and take appropriate measures immediately to keep the damage to a minimum.
On rainy days, when countless slugs are crawling around everywhere, the Turkish poppy is at their mercy. Its green, hairy leaves can be razed to the ground very quickly. The ravenous little animals must be stopped immediately and effectively. In this regard, many tips are circulating, but not all bring lasting success. Try out which control method is most practical for you and at the same time brings success.
If you react quickly to the snail plague, the snails have little time to lay their eggs. You will be happy to see fewer snails in the next gardening year.
Tip:
If you can spare some time, pick up the snails by hand every day and then release them somewhere in the "wilderness" where they can't do as much damage.
Diseases
Oriental poppies are weakened by prolonged wet conditions, making them susceptible to fungal diseases. Affected parts must be cut off immediately and disposed of. Use gardening gloves and then disinfect the cutting tool used to completely eliminate any traces of fungus. In case of bacterial blight, the leaves look blackish. Unfortunately, the perennial can no longer be saved. Dispose of the entire plant with the residual waste. Under no circumstances should diseased plants be left on the compost or simply left lying around.
hibernate
Although Turkish poppy is hardy, it should still be protected from severe frosts. In the fall, lay a layer of twigs over the newly sprouted leaves. In spring, as soon as severe frost is no longer to be expected, the brushwood can be removed again.
In winter, the poppy in the garden does not need to be watered at all. Poppies in planters should not dry out completely. Give it a little water every now and then.
garden editorial I write about everything that interests me in my garden.
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