Scientific: Oreomecon nudicaulis (formerly Papaver nudicaule)
Common: Iceland or arctic poppy
Family: Papaveraceae
Origin: High latitude arctic regions of northern hemisphere
Pronounciation: O-re-o-ME-con nu-di-ca-U-lis
Hardiness zones:
Sunset All zones
USDA All zones
Landscape Use: Cold hardy perennial that is used in Phoenix as a cool season annual for winter color accent in mesic color gardens, flower borders, patio containers. Plant in groups 6-inches apart for best effect.
Form & Character: Small, delicate, wirey upright, festive, loose, informal
Growth Habit: Herbaceaous annual, acaulescent basal clumps, less than 12-inches tall.
Foliage/Texture: Basal leaves pinnately lobed or clefted, usually light pale green, sparsely pubescent; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Bright, multiple-colored, ephemeral flowers 1- to 3-inches wide on weak, wily, sparsely pubescent, 1- to 2-feet long scapes, flowers sometimes double; flower buds also pubescent, encapsulated fruit, oblong to 5/8-inch long.
Seasonal Color: Winter flowers range from mixtures of white, yellow, orange to red.
Temperature: In Phoenix, Iceland poppy is a cool-season annual that has a cardinal temperature range of 35o and 85oF.
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained garden soil, this plant is highly salt sensitive.
Watering: Regular
Pruning: Remove spent flowers to encourage flowering.
Propagation: Seed
Disease and Pests: Snails and slugs, crown rot if soil poorly drained.
Additional comments: Iceland poppy is a great winter bedding plant for Phoenix gardens. It is however not a good cut flower as its petals easily abscise. The flowers and seed capsules are mildly diaphoretic. There are numerous cultivated varieties of Iceland poppy that have
different flower colors and sizes including:
A taxonomic note: Northern hemispheric taxa within the Papaveraceae tribus Papavereae have recently been recircumscribed. The genus Oreomecon (formerly included as part of the genus Papaver) is limited to taxa that are of arctic or alpine origin.
Some other horticulturally significant "poppy" taxa include:
