Praise for the poppy

What do people love about a poppy flower? Is it the delicate and fleeting beauty of their papery petals in mesmerizing colours? Hardly anyone looks at a poppy without gazing into the bejeweled centre of its bowl-shaped flower. For many Canadians, it is the flower’s name — poppy — that speaks volumes because it evokes memories, emotions, and pride. In gardens, poppies have an exotic presence when they are in bloom and the handsome seed pods that form are a reminder to gardeners to harvest and sow the seed outdoors in fall. The poppy capsule holds a great deal of promise.

“Poppy flowers are so interesting because of their fused carpels that form a single structure in the centre,” says Carla Zelmer, instructor and curator of the Buller Greenhouse teaching and outreach collection in the department of biological sciences, University of Manitoba. “The stripes radiating from the top of the ovary are stigmas, each one representing a single carpel. The carpel is a structure that is unique to flowering plants. It has three parts — an enclosed ovary containing ovules and later the seeds, a style that raises up the stigma, and a stigma where the pollen is deposited. In poppies, what might have originally been many separate carpels have become fused as they co-evolved with their pollinators.”

When the poppy capsule opens at maturity, says Zelmer, each carpel has its own doorway through which the tiny seeds disperse. “This works a bit like a saltshaker,” she says. “The seeds sift out over time.”

Jackson McLean, owner of The Seed Company by E.W. Gaze, in St. John’s, Nfld., says that he receives many requests from across the country for the heirloom Flanders poppy (Papaver rhoeas) because of its relationship to Remembrance Day. The Flanders poppy has a single, iconic red flower. Flanders poppy is adaptable to a range of soils and grows to a height of about 60 cm (24 inches). It is drought tolerant as well as deer tolerant and will usually reliably self-sow, says McLean.

“We’re about to celebrate our 100th anniversary as a company,” says McLean. “We will be using a photo of the Flanders poppy on our new centennial envelopes.”

Every summer, visitors flock to Jardins de Métis Reford Gardens, a national historic site located in Grand-Métis, Quebec, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, to see the outstanding gardens created from 1926 to 1958 by pioneering horticulturist Elsie Reford. One of the star attractions is the blue poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia), also known as the Himalayan Blue Poppy. Blue poppies grow in abundance and provide visitors with a breathtaking display from the end of June to the end of July.

Alexander Reford, director, says that blue poppy seeds are harvested annually and sold at the horticultural shop onsite or they can be ordered through the Reford Gardens online store, https://jardinsdemétis.com. The stunning photography of Louise Tanguay, a renowned Canadian photographer, captures the unparalleled beauty of the blue poppies in the Blue Poppy Glade at Jardins de Métis Reford Gardens on greeting cards that are also available in the online store.

What is our fascination with the blue poppy? To start with, the blue poppy can be more challenging to grow than other types of poppies. Meconopsis betonicifolia is a biennial. The less root disturbance the better. It’s important to not disturb the soil around the planting site in springtime to allow any potential seedlings an opportunity to grow.

It is noteworthy that Meconopsis was first formally named in 1912 by Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey, a British soldier who was born in India. He had a lifelong interest in botany and the study of butterflies and explored Tibet in 1911 to 1913. Bailey served in the First World War, and was wounded twice at Ypres and Gallipoli.

Papaver somniferum is commonly known as the opium poppy or breadseed poppy. Opium poppy is an important source of medicinal compounds including morphine and codeine. The seeds of Papaver somniferum are edible and have many uses. But this species is also a garden classic with wildly beautiful varieties to choose from. Consider Black Swan breadseed poppy. The deeply frilled or fringed, dark red petals and fully double form make this a standout variety. The green ovary in the centre of the flower is surrounded by a multitude of stamens. It is available through seed companies such as Heritage Harvest Seed, an heirloom seed mail order company in Fisher Branch, Manitoba that specializes in rare and endangered varieties, as well as West Coast Seeds in Delta, BC.

Another unique poppy is Pink Peony breadseed poppy. But for its characteristic hairy stems, you might not immediately identify it as a poppy. The distinctively large flowerheads are packed with ruffled petals. Gordon and Coral Ann Brinck offer this variety at Brother Nature Heirloom Seeds, which is in Victoria B.C. Pink Peony poppy grows to a height of 100 to 150 cm and benefits from staking.

“We grow everything from seed to seed,” says Gordon. “Our plant varieties have to be strong enough to hold their own.” The Brincks recommend planting poppies in masses and mixing in different varieties.

Poppies are not long-lived in a vase. Poppy Parsons, owner of Smart Flowers, a floral studio in Swift Current says that there is a reason why fresh poppies are not often seen in flower shops. “The petals are so soft and fragile, so they are a little tricky to pack and ship, especially if they are coming from a distance,” she says. “So florists do have to get them in when they are closed.” Parsons has created arrangements with perennial Oriental poppies but says that California poppies are too short-lived and better enjoyed outside.

Parsons recommends using cut poppies on their own rather than combining them with other cut flowers. “Every variety of poppy has a milky, latex sap that comes out of the stem which can be toxic to other types of flowers,” says Parsons. “It’s a good idea to let poppies stand in water for a good 24 hours to allow the latex to drain out of the stem.” The water will become cloudy, says Parson. “Add only a shallow amount of fresh water to a clean vase and recut the bottom of the stem. The water should be changed daily.” Wait until you have completed this process first before combining poppies with other flowers. “I like poppies all on their own,” says Parsons. “They are such a showstopper.”

Poppies are not suitable for use in floral foam, says Parsons, because the stems are too delicate. “They tend to not drink out of floral foam,” she says. “If people are having trouble using poppies as cut flowers, it may be that they are drowning the stems with too much water or using a homemade preservative with sugar or excess flower food. The stems on poppies are fuzzy and hairy and will sometimes become clogged. I just use clear water or a flower preservative with low sugar content.”

colleenizacharias@gmail.com

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