Meconopsis Fertile Blue Group
Himalayan blue poppy Fertile Blue Group
Fertile Blue Group are short-lived perennials, to about 1m tall, forming an upright rosette of long, oval leaves with golden or ginger hairs. The Group includes all the fertile, seed-raised, big, perennial, blue poppies, some of which have been given cultivar status, such as 'Lingholm' and 'Mop-head'. In summer they produce pure blue flowers, with no hint of purple, followed by bristly seed pods filled with plump seeds
Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Blue | Green | Green | |
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Papaveraceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Meconopsis can be annuals, biennials, evergreen or herbaceous perennials, often monocarpic, with rosettes of hairy leaves and bowl-shaped flowers that may be solitary on a leafless stem, or in racemes or panicles on a leafy stem
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Only suitable for particular sites: the soil needs to be neutral to slightly acid, moist but well-drained and enriched with leaf mould or humus to prevent stagnation; in a partially shaded site with shelter from cold, dry winds. Thrives in areas with cool, damp summers
Propagation
Propagate by division after flowering but can be short-lived
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Cut down to the base in late autumn
Pests
Diseases
May be susceptible to a downy mildew
Get involved
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