Icelandic Poppy
Papaver nudicaule. PAPAVERACEAE.
Planting and Growing Icelandic Poppy
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow Icelandic poppy in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of Icelandic poppy
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for Icelandic poppy
- Season of bloom and planting time for Icelandic poppy
- When, how deep, and where to plant Icelandic poppy
- How to plant Icelandic poppy
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of Icelandic poppy
- Landscape and container uses of Icelandic poppy
- Comments about Icelandic poppy and its features
Growing Icelandic Poppy
Many cultivars of mounding, deciduous perennial herbs, to 1 ft. (30 cm) tall. Hairy, blue or gray green, feathery, deeply lobed and cut leaves, 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) long, forming a circular, radiating base.
See also Oriental Poppy, Papaver orientale, a closely related species with care needs somewhat similar to Icelandic poppy.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Showy, single or double, cream, orange, pink, white, yellow, papery, cup-shaped, fragrant flowers, 2–3 in. (50–75 mm) wide, with blending or contrasting, darker or lighter centers, on long, wiry stems, in early spring–early summer.
Best Climates
Hardy. Zones 3–9. Best in cold-winter climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained loam. Fertility: Average. 6.5–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Most frequently planted as nursery starts in early spring in full to filtered sun, 1 ft. (30 cm) apart, when soil is workable.
Seeding beds in autumn after first frosts and mulching over the beds produces stronger, multiyear plants that emerge in early spring.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize monthly. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong bloom. Protect from heat. Propagate by seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, beds, borders, paths in cottage, formal, meadow, natural gardens. Good for cutting; sear cuts to seal stems and prevent wilting. Pest and disease resistant.
Warning:
Foliage and seeds of Papaver nudicaule are hazardous if eaten. Avoid planting in gardens frequented by pets or children.