Scientific: Papaver nudicaule
Common: Iceland or arctic poppy
Family: Papaveraceae
Origin: High latitude artic regions of northern hemisphere
Pronounciation: Pa-PA-ver nu-di-ca-U-le
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: There are numerous cultivated varieties of Iceland poppy that have
different flower colors and sizes including:
A taxonimc note: The genus Papaver has about 50 accepted species spread across the northern hemisphere. Some horticulturally significant species of Papaver include:
Iceland poppy is not a good cut flower as petals easily abscise. The flowers and seed capsules are mildly diaphoretic.
