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Poppy - Blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia or Meconopsis baileyi) Blue Poppies Wildflower Flower

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Poppy - Blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia or Meconopsis baileyi) Blue Poppies Wildflower Flower

Annual

Height 3 to 4 ft

The Himalayan blue poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It was first formally named for western science in 1912 by the British officer Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey

While blue poppies can be low-maintenance if they are provided with exactly the right type of environment, not every garden will be able to offer them the conditions they need to thrive. Blue poppies need a fertile, moist, and well-drained soil and filtered light.

High temperatures are a problem for this species, so you need to live in an area that will provide the cool summers they will thrive in.  In their native habitat, Himalayan blue poppies would grow on damp woodland floors where they would receive dappled light. These plants can't survive if they are exposed to too much intense sunlight. They prefer a partial shade position with bright but indirect light.

    • Part Shade
    • Moist, rich in organic matter and well-draining soil
    • Blue poppies have very particular soil requirements: loamy soils work best, and enthusiasts often enrich them with leaf matter to minimize the chance of stagnation and to conserve moisture.
    • Poppies are also surprisingly sensitive to pH levels. A soil test is recommended before planting as they prefer a neutral to slightly acidic type. Too much alkalinity results in the blooms turning purple rather than blue, and it can impact on growth.
    • In late fall, fill garden pots with damp seed starting mix. Use 1 in or larger pots. Scatter the seeds onto the soil mix in the pot leaving about 1 in between the seeds. Add a dusting of damp sand on top of the seeds and gently spray them with water.
    • OR start the seeds indoors in 3 to 4 weeks before last frost date. Use sterilized containers and a sterile potting mix. Scatter the seeds on top of the mix and gently press them in with your finger. The optimum location for these seeds is an area of the house where the temperature drops to 15 degrees Celsius overnight. Transplant outdoors after all risk of frost has passed.
    • Spacing: 18 in
    • Blue poppies need to be kept consistently moist throughout their growth period in the late spring and summer. In the winter, their preference is to be kept dry, so no supplemental watering is usually required.
    • Seed Count: 10