Papaver Spring Fever (Papaver nudicaule)
Perennial
Deeply cut, medium green, hairy foliage forms a basal mound in early spring. In April, flower spikes rise above the foliage bearing a fat bud that opens to 2-3″ diameter bright orange flowers with striking yellow stamened centers. This striking bloom continues from April into summer on an easy care plant that is as comfortable being grouped toward the front of a garden as it is being mixed in a container with other perennials..
Plant purchased from Dobbies, Carlisle.
Sow indoors
Sow outdoors
Plant out
Flowers
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Well-drained soil
50cm (19.5″)
50cm (19.5″)
Deadhead to prolong flowering. May be susceptible to aphids and downy mildew
Maybe I’m naive. But when I pick up a pot with “Spring Fever Mix” on it, showing multi-colour poppies, that’s kinda what I expect to get. As they all started to unfold I find they’re all orange! So I check back on the card and on the back in small lettering it says they are orange. My mistake, I guess. But it could be clearer. I was hoping for something to counteract the ludicrous amount of orange flowers I’ve grown this year and I got…. more orange.