Flower Specifications
- Season: Perennial
- USDA Zones: 3 - 9
- Height: 24 inches
- Bloom Season: Summer
- Bloom Color: Blue
- Environment: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Acidic soils enriched with organic matter, moist, pH 5.2 - 6.2
- Deer Resistant: Yes
Planting Directions
- Temperature: 60 - 65F
- Average Germ Time: 14 - 28 days, if germination does not occur after 3-4 weeks a cooling period of 2-4 weeks is recommended
- Light Required: Yes
- Depth: Cover lightly, seed should be visible
- Sowing Rate: 6 - 7 seeds per plant
- Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
- Plant Spacing: 18 inches
- Care & Maintenance: See: Poppy
Himalayan Poppy (Meconopsis Betonicifolia Blue) - What a dazzling performer for cooler summer climates. Start Himalayan Blue Poppies from flower seed for a treasured garden flower. Native to the Himalayan region of Asia, these Poppies prefer a cool, moist shady place to grow. Blue Poppies have large delicate petals held in a cup shape. The flowers can range in a wide variety of shades of blue. Alkaline soils produce more violet shades of blue even in cultivars which would normally be a pale blue. Therefore, you can adjust your color by adjusting the pH of your soil. All the Blue Poppy variations are herbaceous and very cold hardy, although they may rot in wet soil. Keep soil aerated so it does not remain saturated and your Blue Poppy flower plants will do well.
Meconopsis Betonicifolia flower seeds need a cold treatment to break dormancy. Dampen a paper towel and wring it out. Place the Poppy flower seeds evenly on the towel and carefully roll it up. Place the towel in a ziploc baggie and place it in the refrigerator for 4 weeks.
To sow Himalayan Poppy flower seed, remove flower seed from refrigerator in late winter. Indoors, prepare a tray with quality seed compost, and press the seeds into the compost, but the seed must be visible. Light is required to initiate germination, but do not place the trays in direct sunlight. Is it very important that the growing compost does not dry out. Mist from above or water from the base.
As soon as the Himalayan Poppy flower seed germinates and develops the second set of true leaves, transplant them into 3 inch pots by holding a single leaf and gently removing them from the trays. Once they get to 6 inches in height they can be planted outside in their permanent place. During this seedling growing period, do not let them dry out. Himalayan Poppies are heavy feeders, so regular applications of liquid fertilizer are needed. Prepare outdoor location by digging out the soil deeply and adding plenty of humus rich compost.
One of the most frustrating aspects of growing Himalayan Blue Poppy plants from flower seed is the tendency to damp off at the first true leaf stage. Keeping the seedlings cool is the best solution for this problem. Blue Poppies prefer cold temperatures and grow well when temperatures are around freezing or even slightly below freezing. These Poppy plants are very sensitive to temperature, sun exposure, and moisture. It may be a challenge to grow Himilayan Poppies, but the reward is tremendous!
