Oriental poppy Oriental poppies add old-fashioned charm to Gardens. These plants usually are easy to grow, but they prefer sunny areas and soil that's well drained. The plants are hardy, and do well in mountain Gardens at high elevations.
Poppies decline rapidly in poorly drained soils.
It's not a good idea to plant oriental poppies in areas where soil stays wet for extended periods. The silky, bowl-shaped flowers appear in late spring and burst from distinctive buds covered in bristly hairs. Flower colors include scarlet red, glowing orange, salmon pink, sparkling white and bi-colored forms. Many of the flowers feature inky-dark blotches at the base of the petals and colorful stamens in the center. As petals fall, the remaining seed pod adds interest and contrast in Gardens.