New Oriental Poppies

The weather this year was not very kind to Oriental poppies. Many early varieties had their buds destroyed, and others were so damaged that they bore only imperfect flowers. 

As a result, in my garden, I had a total of only 1625 blossom days, as against a total of 3295 blossom days two years ago. 

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Let me explain what I mean by blossom days. Every morning I count the number of blossoms on each plant, and the total for the garden represents the blossoms for that day. If an individual blossom remains open for three days, it represents three blossom days.

The unfavorable weather this year also shortened the flowering period. The first Oriental poppy sometimes blooms in April. This year, the first blossom in my garden came on May 22, and the last one dropped its petals on June 28, a rather short season of 38 days. 

In 1946, the bloom extended from May 5 to June 26, a season of 53 days. This year, June 9 represented the season’s peak, with 118 blossoms open on that day.

An Abundance Of Bloom

As usual, however, the stolon spreading varieties headed this year’s list of varieties producing the largest amount of bloom, OLYMPIA having 121 blossom days. 

Of the non-stolon spreading varieties, which of course, include the vast majority of Oriental poppies, the following five led in the abundance of bloom: 

• NEW PERFECTION
• SUE
• CELIA
• ROSE BEAUTY
• BETTY ANN

The first has 60 blossom-days and the fifth has 54 blossom-days.

Since my last article appeared in FLOWER GROWER two years ago, I have added several new varieties to my plantings, and in the hope of helping poppy lovers make satisfactory choices of new varieties, I shall describe these new poppies in the following paragraphs. 

If I seem to include many details that are of little consequence, it should be remembered that descriptions of the color and form of a variety are not enough to identify it and also that color and form alone do not determine a variety’s general appearance. 

In my garden this year, for instance, there were four varieties:

• WUNTEMBERGIA
• E. L. FERGUSON
• TANAGER
• BUCKEYE RED

Whose deep red color was identical, yet their general appearance and effect were quite different.

A. E. Curtis’ Spring Morn

Without question, the most charming of the new varieties in my garden this year was A. E. Curtis’ variety SPRING MORN. 

But as this was a one-year plant, it may be dangerous to make too final a decision on its attractiveness and usefulness from the single bloom, which appeared in midseason and was blown to pieces by wind after it had been open a day and a half.

The color of this SPRING MORN flower was very delicate and belonged to the light pink class of Aksarben, Madam Pavlowa, and Dainty Lady; it was practically the same as Betty Ann. The petals were long, attached to the base narrowly, and slowly widened from the base to the tip. 

Everything about the blossom was refined and elegant, and I am hoping that the increasing strength of the plant as it grows older will not cause it to lose this unique delicacy. 

The blossom stem was 27″ inches tall, the bloom 7″ inches wide, opening moderately flat and consisting of six petals with no spots whatever. The stamen filaments were reddish, white at the base, and the anthers were a reddish gray. 

What I call the overcap on top of the pistil was dark red and consisted of ten very heavy ridges. What I call the under-cap was a pinkish red and quite inconspicuous. The stem was slender but held the flower upright and was quite straight.

E. L. Ferguson Variety

The variety E. L. FERGUSON, so far as I know, has never been cataloged by the originator, John Siebenthaler, or anyone else. However, it made its first appearance over 10 years ago. 

It is a deep red, practically identical in color to Wurtembergia, Tanager, and Buckeye Red. Still, it has one quite distinctive feature—the flower opens wide and flat, and as a result, it makes an unusually strong impression on the eye. 

In common with most large-flowered varieties, the number of blossoms, even On an established plant, is not great. 

Five were on my old plant this year, in early midseason, and the count of blossom days was 21. The stems were 37″ inches tall but were not upright, and with low staking, they were still bent over. 

The flowers were 9″ inches across and of good substance. The deep red-black spots were quite prominent; the three under-petals were wider than high, while the three inner petals were higher than wide. 

The overcap ridges were wide, 13 in number, and the under cap was slightly lighter and not at all prominent. The filaments of the stamens were dark red, and the anthers gray-black.

Mrs. Thomas Nesmith’s Tanager

Mrs. Thomas Nesmith’s variety, TANAGER, has been listed in her catalog for some years but is a newcomer to my garden. The color is red and practically identical to that of E. L. FERGUSON. 

My two-year-old plant had six blossoms and a total of 30 blossom days; this is an average of five days to a blossom, which is unusually long and indicates exceptionally good flower substance during a period of heavy rainfall. 

The six-petaled flowers stood 29″ inches high and were 8″ inches across; they did not open flat but were wide enough to see the inside without standing immediately over them.

The over-cap had 13 wide ridges, and the under-cap was slightly lighter and not prominent. The stamen filaments were red, and the anthers gray-black. 

The spots were prominent and of variable shape. This variety came into bloom in early mid-season and remained until quite late, with only one variety remaining in bloom after it had dropped its last petals.

Leonian 99

The late Dr. Leon H. Leonian, widely known for his work with delphiniums and hemerocallis, was also interested in hybridizing Oriental poppies, and one of his unnamed seedlings came to me from a mutual friend under number—LEONIAN 99. 

This is quite similar in color to the famous old variety Mrs. Perry, but it is much larger and, I believe, superior in many other qualities. 

Why should we not drop the number and keep the name and thus commemorate that brilliant and useful man? 

My plant is fairly old but gave fewer flowers than usual this year because of the unfavorable weather. However, its five blooms were as perfect as one could ask. The number of blossom days was 16. 

The flowers stood 37” inches high, opened 7 ½” inches across, and remained cup-shaped. There were six petals, and the spots were nearly round, slightly wider than high. The stamen filaments were reddish, and the anthers were gray. 

The over-cap had 15 ridges, and the under-cap was quite prominent and slightly lighter red than the overlap. The stem was straight and fairly sturdy, and the substance of the flower was wholly satisfactory. This is a midseason variety.

M. Frederick Stuntz Cherry Rose

For the originator, M. Frederick Stuntz, the variety CHERRY ROSE usually blooms a second time in the fall. Still, in my garden in southern Ohio it has never done so, nor has any other Oriental poppy. 

I have a suspicion that the farther north a poppy is grown, the more likely it is to flower again in the fall. CHERRY Rose is a good bloomer, bearing 24 flowers on a two-year-old plant and having a total of 46 blossom days. 

The flowers stood 40” inches high, were of good substance, cup-shaped, and 6 inches in diameter. 

The color was about identical to that of the deep pink JOYCE; the spots varied considerably and often were absent. The stamen filaments were light red, and the anthers gray. 

The overcap was dark red, with 13 or 14 heavy ridges, but the under the cap was visible. The stems varied, some being straight but some curving badly. It is a late-blooming variety that offers little or no improvement over JOYCE, except where it blooms again in the fall.

A. E. Curtis’ Glowing Rose

In A. E. Curtis’ garden, his variety GLOWING ROSE starts blooming quite early in the poppy season and is finished before his ROSE GLOW begins. 

However, in the three or four years that GLOWING ROSA has bloomed in my garden, in a position that receives a fair amount of shade, it has consistently bloomed from quite early in the season until quite late. 

This year, for example, ROSE Glow bloomed on June 10 and 11, but GLOWING ROSE continued until June 21. 

If GLOWING ROSE has such a long season as its history in my garden indicates, there seems no real need for ROSE GLOW. 

ROSE GLOW was a one-year plant in my garden this year and bore one blossom, rather small, with four petals. 

The spots on the inner petals were high and narrow, and the outer petals were nearly round. The pistil was high and small in circumference. 

The nine broad, dark red overcap ridges came well down the sides of the pistil so that the under cap was rather insignificant and about the same color as the overcap. The stem was straight and slender, 30” inches in height.

Mr. Curtis’ Variety Watermelon

Mr. Curtis’ variety WATERMELON was a two-year plant and had two blossoms. The flowers were 6 3/4″ inches in diameter and the color of ripe watermelon. 

The pistil was much wider than high, and the 13-ridged overcap was slightly deeper in color than the light pinkish-red under cap. 

The filaments and anthers were blackish red, as were the spots on the petals, which were moderate in size and higher than wide. 

The flower steins were 27″ inches high and moderately sturdy. This is a very handsome midseason variety, but I have been warned that it is very long-lived.

Curtis Variety Raspberry Queen

Another Curtis variety, RASPBERRY QUEEN, was much taller than the others—42 inches—with 7 3/4-inch flowers of raspberry red with black-red spots. 

My two-year plant had two blossoms, one rather early in the season and six blossom days. 

The pistil was much wider than high, and the over-cap had 14 deep red ridges; the under-rap was dark red but lighter than the overcap. 

The stamens were black-red like the spots. This variety, standing, high and straight, and so vivid and unusual in color, was extremely effective.

Mr. Curtis G. I. Joe Variety

The latest variety to date from Mr. Curtis is his G. I. JOE, a late bloomer that opened on June 9 and continued until June 21, very near the end of the season. My two-year plant was floriferous, bearing nine blossoms and 27 blossom days. 

The color was cerise, somewhat between Wunderkind and Rose Glow, six-petaled and almost without spots; the diameter of the bloom was 8” inches; the substance was satisfactory, and the petals were slightly crinkled. 

The stamens cluster loosely around the pistil, the filaments dark red, and the anthers reddish gray. The pistil was of moderate size, the overcap had 14 dark red ridges, and the prominent under cap was slightly lighter red. 

The flower steins were 34” inches high and, at first, were straight and sturdy, but the wind beat them down, and the Iast flowers lay on the ground. 

Considering the number of blossoms and their attractiveness, this is perhaps the best of the near-Wunderkind group.

John Siehentiuder’s Celia Variety

John Siehentiuder’s variety CELIA, a two-year plant, came into bloom on June 4 and continued until June 20, bearing 10 blossoms with 55 blossom days, a very fine record. 

The blooms were light salmon pink, 7 ½” inches in diameter, and strictly cup-shaped, 3” inches deep; the moderate size, oval spots, filaments, and anthers were all nearly black. The pistil was flat-topped, the overcap having 16” ridges. 

The stems were 29” inches high, reasonably sturdy, and straight. The plant was extremely attractive, as can be judged by the fact that for five days there were five or more blooms open each day.

Siebenthaler Variety Sue

SUE, another Siebenthaler variety, was cerise, similar to JOYCE but quite different in general effect. My two-year plant had 18 blossoms, 6 inches in diameter, and the number of blossom days was 57. 

The spots were reddish black but insignificant, sometimes entirely missing. The over-cap had 75 ridges and was darker red than the prominent, pinkish under-cap. The filaments were reddish at the bottom and gray-black toward the top, and the anthers were reddish-black. 

The substance of the blossom was satisfactory, and the 28-inch stems were straight and reasonably sturdy. This variety was great, with a splash of color toward the middle of June, with as many as 13 blooms open at once.

Seashell Variety

SEASHELL, originated by Mrs. Nesmith, has been available for some years but is new to my garden. My two-year plant had 13 blooms and yielded 34 blossom days, flowering from June 5 to June 19. 

The flowers were a delicate light pink, 5” inches in diameter, saucer-shaped, six-petaled, and without spots. 

The stamen filaments were red, the anthers gray; the overcap had 14 ridges of medium dark red, and the visible under the cap was pinkish red. 

The substance of the flower was good and the steins, 33” inches high, were straight and sturdy. The flowers were very beautiful and charming, but the landscape value of the plant was not great because the color was so delicate.

Red Crinkles Variety

A. E. Curtis has introduced two deep red varieties within the past few years, one of these being RED CRINKLES. The color of this variety is identical to that of LULA A. NEELY, but the crinkling of the petals gives it an entirely different effect. 

My plant is two years old and has nine blossoms, giving 26 blossom days, from June 4 to June 15, with as many as five flowers open at once. 

The blooms were 6” inches across, opening flat, and had only three petals, one with one spot, one with two spots, and one with three spots; the spots were high and narrow and of deep red-black. 

The 11-ridged overcap was not large, 2ind both the overcap and under cap were deep red. The filaments were red and the anthers grayish black. 

The stems were only 24” inches tall and were reasonably sturdy. The striking color of this variety gives it unusual landscaping value.

Buck-Eyed Red Variety

Mr. Curtis’s other red variety, BUCK-EYE RED, is about the same color as TANAGER, but its petals are smooth rather than crinkled, so the two varieties are quite distinct. 

The blossoms opened quite widely and were 8″ inches in diameter with six petals (sometimes five); the spots were strong, high, and narrow. 

The stamen filaments were red, and the anthers reddish gray. The pistil was fairly tall but small, the overcap having 13 ridges, narrow and dark red, and the prominent under cap being slightly lighter. 

The stems were 29″ inches tall and were straight and sturdy. My two-year plant had four blossoms, giving ten blossom days, from June 9 to June 19. 

Like TANAGER, E. L. FERGUSON, and WIRTEMBERGIA, this variety has splendid landscape value.

Coral Cup Variety

Mrs. Smith’s variety CORAL CUP is still in bloom as this is written; it began blooming on June 12 and, assuming a three-day life for the last bloom, it will continue until June 25. Of its 28 blossom days, 14 have been provided after all other poppies have finished. 

The blossoms were 6 1/2 inches across and of decided cup shape, the color being close to that of Celia with small spots of deep red and two or three times wider than high. 

The stamen filaments Were very dark red, and the anthers were reddish gray. The dark red overcap had 13 irregular ridges, and the rather prominent under cap was deep pinkish red. 

The stems were 28” inches high on my two-year-old plant and were sturdy and straight.

44659 by Karl K. Lorenz