Papaver orientale 'Allegro'

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Papaver orientale 'Allegro'

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Kemper Code: B297

Common Name: oriental poppy
Zone: 3 to 7
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Papaveraceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 1 to 1.5 feet
Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: June - July
Bloom Color: Orange-red
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium

Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Best grown in organically rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Performs well in average garden soils as long as drainage is good. This is a cold weather plant that needs a period of winter dormancy, and generally will not grow well south of USDA Zone 7. It is generally intolerant of the high summer heat and humidity in the deep South. Mulch in winter until well established. Tends to self-seed, but self-seeded plants of this cultivar may not come true. Therefore, it is best to remove stems of spent flowers before seed forms. Propagation by root cuttings is relatively easy, but plants should otherwise be left undisturbed.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Oriental poppies are among the most popular poppies available. They are clump-forming plants that most often feature flowers in shades of red, orange and pink. ‘Allegro’ is a dwarf form that only grows to 20” tall. It features large, solitary, crepe papery, cup-shaped, 4-6” diameter flowers on long stalks in late spring to early summer. Each flower has 4-6 orange-red petals with dark basal blotches and a boss of dark purple center stamens. Serrate, thistle-like, grayish-green leaves (to 12” long) are pinnately dissected into lance-shaped segments and have a somewhat weedy appearance. Foliage yellows and dies shortly after flowering, typically leaving a hole in the garden. Basal mats of new leaves appear in fall and overwinter until spring when the foliage puts on a spurt of growth up until the point when the flowers bloom.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Wet, poorly-drained soils can cause significant problems such as root rot, particularly in winter. Botrytis and powdery mildew may also occur. Plants tend to sprawl and may need support. Leaves a void in the garden in early to mid-summer when plants go dormant.

Uses:

Best in single clumps or small groups in borders. Gypsophila and boltonia have foliage that expands as the summer progresses and may be effectively interplanted with oriental poppies in order to fill the void left when the poppies go dormant.