Meconopsis 'Longjohn'
Himalayan Poppy 'Longjohn'
Himalayan poppy is a short-lived perennial, or a monocarpic perennial (A monocarpic perennial lives for two or more years, then flowers once, sets seed and dies). Known as blue poppies, they flower in Summer . The flowers have four petals and a yellow centre. They are fussy about growing conditions, and difficult to grow, but worth the effort! They are cool weather plants, that need moist soil, and will easily scorch in the sun in dry conditions. 'Longjohn' has china blue flowers above long ovate leaves in early summer
Contributed by @Arabella
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Deep shade
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Frequent watering
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Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)
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Moist and rich
Common name
Himalayan Poppy 'Longjohn'
Latin name
Meconopsis 'Longjohn'
type
Short-lived perennial
family
Papaveraceae
ph
6.1 - 7.8 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Deep shade
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Frost
Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)
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Soil
Moist and rich
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Water
Frequent watering
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
0.50 M
1.20 M
Meconopsis 'Longjohn'
Himalayan poppy is a short-lived perennial, or a monocarpic perennial (A monocarpic perennial lives for two or more years, then flowers once, sets seed and dies). Known as blue poppies, they flower in Summer . The flowers have four petals and a yellow centre. They are fussy about growing conditions, and difficult to grow, but worth the effort! They are cool weather plants, that need moist soil, and will easily scorch in the sun in dry conditions. 'Longjohn' has china blue flowers above long ovate leaves in early summer
Flowering
From Early Summer TO Late Summer
Meconopsis flower in Summer - from early Summer to late Summer
Propagating by seed in late Summer or Autumn
From Late Summer TO Early Autumn
Sow seed in sieved compost - two parts multipurpose peat-free compost to one part perlite is ideal - in late summer or early Autumn. Meconopsis needs light for germination, so either sow seeds on the surface, and then cover with a fine layer of vermiculite, or put some damp perlite on top of the compost, and sow the seeds on to that. Do not allow the growing medium to dry out. (Note: Meconopsis seed has short-term viability). Once the seeds have germinated it is important not to overwater, or to allow the compost to dry out. The seedlings need to be pricked out when they have their first true leaves, but many seedling die in the process. If just a few seeds are sown in a module, they do not need this disturbance and are more likely to survive. Keep the seedlings protected by growing under a cloche, or in a greenhouse.from
Propagate by seed in late Winter
From Late Winter TO Late Winter
Sowing in late Winter gives time for a full growing season, with less chance of losing the seedlings, however the seed needs to overwinter in a cold but dry place (such as the bottom shelf of a fridge} before sowing. Sow seed in sieved compost - two parts multipurpose peat-free compost to one part perlite is ideal - in late summer or early Autumn. Meconopsis needs light for germination, so either sow seeds on the surface, and then cover with a fine layer of vermiculite, or put some damp perlite on top of the compost, and sow the seeds on to that. Do not allow the growing medium to dry out. (Note: Meconopsis seed has short-term viability). Once germinated, the seedlings need to be kept moist - but not overwatered. Overwatering and allowing the compost to dry out can both kill the seedlings.
Planting
From Late Spring TO Early Summer
Pot on seedlings as they grow, and plant them out when they are well-developed
Arabella