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The topic of growing meconopsis from seeds quite often comes up in the conversations of gardeners and has approximately the same summary: the seeds were sown, sprouted and died safely in infancy from the “black leg”. Moreover, this result is obtained not only by beginning flower growers, but also by experienced people.
Is everything really so gloomy and disconsolate? Not at all! It’s just that in our floriculture culture, positive experience in growing this plant has not been brought to the attention of the general public. And we have practically no flower growers specializing in this crop. There are very few publications about these plants in floriculture magazines.
I was brought together by meconopsis by chance. In early September 2002, I was lucky enough to meet for the first time Hannelotte Kindlund, a wonderful Swedish florist. Growing meconopsis is her strong point. A significant part of the conversations was devoted to the technology of growing “difficult” perennials from seeds, in particular meconopsis. It was her experience that I adapted to our conditions.
The European species of meconopsis is Cambrian meconopsis (M. cambrica), with yellow flowers. It can be sown both before winter and in spring, outside or on the loggia. The results are usually good. Which sowing is better depends on the possibilities. If you have a greenhouse or greenhouse, then autumn sowing with early introduction of crops into the greenhouse will be optimal. Then the plants will bloom in the middle of summer, they will bloom until autumn, and they will also self-sow. Crops left outside will not receive such a run, and by autumn only a few specimens will bloom.
The Cambrian meconopsis varieties are very impressive: ‘Muriel Brown’ – with scarlet double flowers, 4–5 cm in diameter, and ‘Aurantioca Pleno’ – with orange double flowers. Plants bloom for a long time, up to 2 months, and in strong plants – abundantly. However, sowing Cambrian Meconopsis varieties is a more delicate matter. The best results are obtained by sowing freshly harvested seeds.
Difficulties in seed propagation are characteristic of high-mountain Asian species, of which the most accessible are meconopsis (M. betonicifolia), or blue poppy, large meconopsis (M. grandis) and their hybrid - Sheldon's meconopsis (M. x sheldonii).
Among the varieties of Meconopsis alphabeta, one can note: ‘Alba’ - with white flowers, ‘Hensol Violet’ - with the presence of purple tones along with blue, as well as hybrid varieties: ‘Lingholm’, ‘Gabriel Fiedler’, ‘Branclyn’. The latter has a height of about 1 m and is classified as an “old” resistant variety. Bristle meconopsis (M.horridula), grape-shaped meconopsis (M. racemosa) are monocarpics with blue or white flowers.
Where and when to sow?
To do this, you need to know and understand the development features of seedlings. There are different opinions about the need for cold stratification: is it necessary or not. It is acceptable, since in nature plants sow themselves. The subtlety lies in the fact that the seeds, previously swollen and lying in cold soil for some time, begin to germinate at +6...7 °C. The first phase of their development should take place at temperatures no more than +12…14 °C. Moreover, lowering the temperature at night to +1 °C…+3 °C and even to –1 °C is not harmful, but rather desirable. Exceeding the permissible temperature is precisely the reason for the development of “black leg”. That is, the window sill in the room is absolutely not suitable! How can such conditions be ensured? When pre-winter sowing in containers outside, the temperature regime is ensured quite well, but at the same time the humidity regime is poorly controlled: after leaving the dacha on Sunday and before returning on Saturday, the crops can easily dry out, and when covered with film or glass, they can overheat in the spring sun. That's why the seedlings fall out a lot. In addition, the growing season of the first year with outdoor sowing will be shorter and the plants will have less time to grow. Therefore, I consider a glazed loggia to be the best place for sowing. The sowing time should be such as to provide the seeds with 3-4 weeks of cold stratification until the temperature range indicated above on the loggia is almost natural. This period is approximately the first ten days of February or even earlier (for example, with a southern orientation of the loggia).
What to sow into?
The container must have good drainage, since stagnant moisture is also detrimental to seedlings. The main volume of soil should be of the “garden soil” type, i.e. moderately nutritious, loose, neutral or slightly acidic. And it must be thoroughly steamed to kill fungal spores, small animals, weed seeds, and prevent the growth of mosses. But the top, seed layer (5–8 mm) should be taken care of separately. It is necessary to sift the peat through a sieve and mix this delicate substance with coarse washed dry sand (1:1). This is necessary so that the sprouted seed can cling to the soil with its root, and it is not easy for it to do this on a rough substrate. Vermiculite should not be used: its slippery surfaces will prevent the growing root from going deeper. The soil needs to be moistened in advance, preferably the day before. Surface sowing, seeds germinate in the light. Cover the seed container with glass, cellophane or fresh packaging film.
At the first stage, two problems need to be solved: control the temperature and ensure equal moisture in the soil in which the seeds are sown. I solve this problem with the help of an “aquarium” made of plexiglass: the walls are fastened with a duralumin corner, the lid is a free sheet, onto which it is also easy to attach a fluorescent backlight lamp. Inside the “aquarium” is a thermometer. The loggia itself is in some way a “thermostat”. “Aquarium” is the second level of the “thermostat”. Opening a balcony door or window increases the temperature on the loggia, closing it reduces it. When the outside temperature was below –12 °C, I resorted to heating using plastic bottles. I poured hot water into them from the tap and replaced them twice a day: morning and evening. Even at –20 °C outside, inside the “aquarium” the temperature did not drop below –3 °C. The evaporation of moisture from it is insignificant.
At the beginning of spring, the seeds sprouted quite well, but not all of them. Late shoots appeared for a long time. As experience has shown, late shoots are not very viable, and if there is a sufficient number of shoots in the first wave, it is better to discard the “late” shoots. It is better to moisturize the seedlings using a sprinkler or drip from a pipette or syringe; spraying with epin, approximately once a week, will also not be superfluous.
To prevent blackleg, I used a drug well known to gardeners - oxychome. Unlike copper sulfate, when using oxychome it is more difficult to make a mistake with the concentration. The complexity of the drug is a fairly good barrier against fungal diseases. I applied the drug three times from a pipette onto the ground.
Due to high humidity, moss may begin to grow even during the pre-picking period. Then you need to sprinkle the surface with coarse washed sand or vermiculite in very moderate quantities.
With the development of the first pair of true leaves, the time for picking comes. To do this, you need to prepare containers in advance and make drainage in them. The ideal is an individual container for each plant, so that in the future the plants only roll over. But due to lack of space and a sufficiently large number of seedlings, this is difficult to allow. Then the picking is done in a container in increments of 3–4 cm. In the picking container, you can make cells from strips cut from foil juice bags; dairy ones are less desirable, as traces of milk may remain on them. This will facilitate the subsequent transshipment of plants. If the loggia faces south, then care must be taken to shade the meconopsis seedlings. From the end of May, the picked seedlings can be transferred to the garden, placing them in a shaded place. When the rosettes reach 4–5 cm in diameter, the plants can be planted in open ground using the transshipment method or for growing - in an adjustable shady bed or in an individual container. The collapse of the root ball during transplantation is often the cause of plant death. Therefore, replanting must be done as carefully as possible over spilled soil, cutting out lumps of soil with a knife. Transplanting young growing plants in the spring is the best time, all risks are minimal.
A pessimistic note: unfortunately, meconopsis are juveniles, and a large number of natural species are monocarpics. Flowering rosettes are monocarpic and, if they have not formed daughter rosettes by the time flowering ends, they will die. Therefore, it is important to take care of the nutrition and timely watering of plants during the development period. Growing mountain Asian species of meconopsis from natural seeds is more complex and requires specific approaches, although the same sowing technology can be chosen. Amateur vegetative propagation by daughter rosettes is a matter of experience and chance. Hybrid varietal clones with increased formation of daughter rosettes and good tolerance to division are noted.
“Blue poppies” will decorate any shady garden and will be a source of pride for its owner!
How many names does this plant have: Himalayan, Tibetan, bell-shaped! And all these are the names of the blue meconopsis poppy. For the first time, this plant began to be grown as a flower in a home flower bed in ancient England, although the flower originates from the summit regions of the Himalayan mountains. The blue Himalayan poppy, Meconopsis, is the national symbol of Bhutan, revered as a symbol of happiness, peace, and harmony.
Botanical information about the plant
Meconopsis is a dicotyledonous herbaceous plant. Belongs to The height of flowers varies depending on the species. The lowest plants are 10 cm high, the tallest are up to 1 meter. Some perennial species grow in nature, but most poppies belong to minor plants, a group of which is called monocarpics, flowering and fruiting once during the entire life cycle.
Stems and leaves
Blue meconopsis poppy is a dwarf herbaceous shrub that consists of rosettes arranged alternately or oppositely on the stem, formed by petiolate bluish-green leaves. The part of the plant that rises above the ground, except for the flowers, is completely covered with fine fluff-like fluff of a whitish or yellowish-orange hue. or fibrous, actively branched.
Flowers
The average diameter of flowers is 5-7.5 cm, for large-flowered ones - about 20 cm, in some cases they can reach 25 cm. The flowers are collected in racemose or paniculate inflorescences of various colors: deep blue, azure, light blue, lavender, purple, white, yellow tint. The blue Himalayan meconopsis poppy blooms for up to 4 weeks. The seeds ripen in a dry fruit-box.
Important! The stems and leaves of the plants contain milky sap, which does not have narcotic properties, but contains poisonous compounds, which is why this flower belongs to the group of poisonous plants.
Habitat
The homeland of the blue poppy meconopsis is high-mountain forests, moist alpine meadows, located at an altitude of 3,000 m above sea level: in Bhutan, Nepal, Burma, India, China. The habitat is torn apart.
Types of meconopsis and their brief characteristics
On the territory of Russia, the common species of Meconopsis alphabetifolia grows in the wild.
The distribution area of the crops today has expanded slightly and covers Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Wild poppy belongs to the group of rare endangered plants, therefore it is listed in the Red Book and is protected by law. About 20 Asian poppy species are listed as endangered.
In total, scientists have registered a little more than 50 plant species belonging to this group. Some wild poppies mentioned in ancient writings have never received a detailed description due to the inaccessibility of their growing areas. Today you are going to get acquainted with the most famous types of meconopsis poppy. So, let's begin.
Meconopsis grandis
Grandiz grande grande is a species of Himalayan blue poppy, cultivated by humans and grown using agricultural technology since 1895. Joseph Hooker was the first to discover this delicate flowering plant to the world. A British plant hunter has led an expedition to the world's highest mountain to find the amazing sky blue flower. The work of breeders, which has lasted more than a century, has allowed the world to discover a large number of forms and hybrids of the Himalayan poppy.
Meconopsis grandis is a semi-rosette type of plant whose flowering period lasts from May to August. The height of adult plants is up to 60 cm. The leaves are elliptical, the edges are serrated. The peduncles are drooping, the average length is 10 cm. The flowers can reach 10-13 cm in diameter. They are blue, bluish, lilac, pink, and white.
Meconopsis betonicifolia (Bailey)
It is very popular among its relatives. There are more than 10 subspecies of Meconopsis Bailey, differing from each other in the shape of the bush and its structure, the height of the flowers, their shape and size. Breeding hybrid - white-flowered meconopsis variety Bailey Alba.
In temperate climates, flowering occurs at the end of May and continues until early September. The plant can withstand sudden temperature changes and cold down to -20 o C.
Meconopsis cambrica
A variety of blue poppy, one of the first to be discovered by researchers. It was described and registered at the beginning of the 19th century as a species of Cumbrian meconopsis, called Welsh poppy. Habitat: Western Europe.
Cumbrian poppy is a European species of meconopsis with small, single, scattered flowers, single or semi-double, with a variegated color of warm, sunny flowers. The flowering of this plant continues from May until the first frost.
Meconopsis Cumbrian is a low-growing poppy with an average height of 30-35 cm. It feels most comfortable on limestone soils. Able to withstand frosts down to -27 o C. Reproduction occurs through self-sowing seeds.
When farming Meconopsis Cumbria, there is a need to water the plant abundantly, especially during drought. It grows best in semi-shaded flower beds, alpine hills, rockeries planted on neutral soil.
Meconopsis x sheldonii
Meconopsis Sheldon poppy is a hybrid plant that is unpretentious in nature. Brought out by crossing other plant species, namely large poppy and letter-leaved poppy. Tall variety. Adult flowers grow up to 150 cm in height. Reproduction is vegetative.
Agricultural technology of blue poppy in the home garden
When growing blue poppy at home, you can use cuttings, seeds, or the propagation method by dividing the bush. Growing from seeds is popular among gardeners, so take a closer look at this particular agricultural technology.
Procedure for growing poppies from seeds
Follow the diagram to grow a strong and unsurpassed plant:
1. Purchase seeds. When growing plants from seeds collected from flowers, the varietal qualities of the poppy are lost.
Interesting! As an experiment, you can grow blue poppy, the seeds of which you collected from the garden. In order to preserve the variety, try to pick all the flower stalks except one. All of the flowers are removed, leaving one - the largest and hardiest. The collection of planting material from flowers is carried out at the end of summer when the seeds begin to fall. They are collected in a box, hermetically sealed and kept in the refrigerator until the onset of spring warmth.
2. Purchased seeds can be stratified. To do this, spread evenly on a piece of damp gauze or paper towel folded in several layers, covering the top with the free edge. After this, having packed the package in a plastic bag, it is placed in the refrigerator for up to 45 days and kept at a temperature from 0 to +4 o C.
3. Sow closer to autumn. In greenhouse conditions - at the end of February. When sowing in autumn, the seedlings are picked and then moved to a heated greenhouse.
4. To grow blue poppy, prepare a special soil mixture using loose, fertile fruit soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH level, pre-treated to remove weed seeds, spores, larvae, and steam. Sifted peat and washed river sand, taken in equal proportions, are added to the soil.
5. Before sowing seeds, the soil must be moistened.
Important! To increase the germination of planting material, you can treat the soil using root, sodium humate or novosil.
6. Seeds are not sown. They are placed carefully on the top layer of soil, slightly pressing them into the soil, only 1-2 mm; they are not sprinkled with soil on top. Containers with seedlings are covered on top with thin plastic film or glass, placed in a room with sufficient but diffused light. Using drip irrigation, the soil is always kept moist.
There is a need to maintain optimal temperature conditions. In the greenhouse, the air temperature must be maintained within +12-15 o C degrees throughout the entire growing period.
Planting poppies
Germination of meconopsis seeds takes a long time, so there is a need to stimulate growth. To do this, the soil is sprayed with Epin every 7 days until planting in open ground in order to prevent blackleg.
After 21 days, the first shoots begin to hatch on the surface of the soil in the containers. With the onset of the second leaf stage, flower seedlings are picked, placing each specimen in separate containers with a drainage layer at the bottom. A couple of days after transplantation, young plants are fed with the same fertilizer, but in half the proportion.
Blue poppy is planted in open ground after the threat of frost on the soil has passed. When planting in a permanent place of growth, strong flowers are planted at a distance of 30-35 cm between units, trying not to disturb the earthen lump formed around the root system. Planting is carried out at the end of summer, at the beginning of autumn or with the onset of next spring.
When growing poppy from purchased seeds, the plant blooms at 24-36 months of the plant's life.
Important! It is best to grow meconopsis at home not from seeds, but from ready-made seedlings purchased from a specialized store.
Other propagation methods
According to this scheme, the cuttings are separated from the central rosette of an adult poppy. 2-3 young rosettes with already formed roots are rooted in a mini-greenhouse.
When dividing, part of the root system with 1-2 formed buds is separated from the plant. The soil is shaken off, shoots and old damaged roots are removed. The prepared planting material is placed in a reshaped plastic bag, filled with moist garden soil or other soil suitable for growing blue poppy. Store it in the refrigerator, keeping the temperature within 2-4 o C, or bury it deep under the snow for the winter. The division of bushes is carried out during the dormant period, in the spring, immediately after the snow melts or in the autumn.
In the spring, the roots are transplanted, choosing a permanent place of growth for them. The procedure is carried out in cool, damp weather. During the first 14-21 days they shade. Poppies grown this way bloom faster than those grown from seeds. But remember! Vegetative propagation is not suitable for all types of meconopsis.
Plant care plan
A distinctive feature in poppy care is the absence of fertilizer using ash. Meconopsis respond well to the fertilizer complex used to feed azaleas.
The best place for growth is a semi-shaded area, protected from strong gusts of wind.
To avoid drying out the soil around the hole and overheating the root system of the poppy, the soil around it is mulched using peat, sawdust, okra, compost, and green matter.
Caring for the Himalayan blue poppy, a photo of which is in the review, consists of regular loosening and weeding to remove weeds.
Flowers are watered regularly, constantly monitoring the degree of drying of the top layer of soil. Otherwise, a weakened, only planted plant may die before flowering ends.
Fertilizing is carried out once per season and only if the soil is depleted and when poppies were grown from seeds purchased at a garden store.
Be sure to tie up mature tall plants. Blue poppies of perennial varieties are pruned. During flowering, fading peduncles and drying leaves are removed. In preparation for wintering, the flowers are cut to the base of the soil, covering the top with leaves or spruce branches.
Diseases and pests of meconopsis poppy
Powdery mildew is the main enemy of wild poppy. This rapidly developing disease, caused by fungi of the Erysiphales group, is capable of completely “eating” poppy flowers in a short period.
Powdery mildew can be recognized by a gray-white coating deposited on the inside of leaves, buds, and seed pods. The area of the affected surface constantly increases, as a result of which the plant withers and dies.
Having discovered manifestations of the disease, give the plant prophylaxis:
- remove parts affected by the fungus, trim spreading bushes;
- remove the top layer of soil, replacing it with a new one;
- treat with a special chemical to prevent the disease.
As a home remedy, use a soap-soda solution as a preventive measure. It is prepared by taking 1 tbsp. l. baking soda, 0.5 tbsp. l. liquid soap. The ingredients are diluted in four liters of water. Treat flowers 2-3 times, taking a break between sprayings for up to 7 days.
Landscape and home garden design with blue poppies
Blue poppies are flowers often used by landscape designers to decorate flower beds. Blue poppies, regardless of their type, look great as part of multi-tiered landscape compositions, slides, and rockeries. Meconopsis is combined with low-growing cereal crops, spreading bruners, ferns, aquilegias, foxgloves, hydrangeas, and clematis. A photo of blue poppies more fully characterizes their decorative properties. Blue meconopsis looks contrasting against the background of green ornamental shrubs.
When growing such a plant in your flowerbed, you need to be patient. Although the flowering period comes soon, a large number of varieties of blue poppies bloom once in their life.
Amazing pale blue flowers of the Himalayan poppy are rarely found among the inhabitants of the garden plot. But those who are familiar with this extraordinary flower always regret that they have not encountered this plant before. The flower petals of amazing heavenly color instantly attract attention, and the beautiful large leaves emphasize the elegant appearance of the bush. In our country, more and more people, having learned about the Himalayan poppy, want to grow this overseas beauty in their garden.
Himalayan poppy or Meconopsis betonicifolia, also known as Blue poppy, is a herbaceous perennial. Belongs to the genus Meconopsis, family Poppy. The plant is native to the Himalayas. In the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, the Himalayan blue poppy is a national symbol.
Russian flower growers became acquainted with this beautiful flower in the 19th century, thanks to the work of the famous naturalist and traveler Nikolai Przhevalsky studying the flora of Central Asia.
The plant is quite tall, at the peak of flowering it can reach 90 cm. The species amazes with its unusual azure, large (up to 11 cm in diameter) flowers. One or more flowers are formed on tall bare peduncles. Sometimes up to 10 buds are formed on one stem. The poppy's petals are large, rich blue, in perfect harmony with the bright yellow stamens. The number of petals varies from 4 to 8 pieces. Flowering time occurs in June-July, flowering lasts about a week. The very last flowers on the stem may have lilac or purple petals.
The leaves are large, oblong, petiolate, light green in color, collected in a basal rosette.
The entire above-ground part (peduncle, leaves and flower buds) is covered with thick pubescence, matching the main color of the plant; sometimes the “fluff” has a grayish or darker tint.
Over the years, the perennial grows due to the growth of basal rosettes. Thanks to a powerful root system with “dormant” growth buds that wake up with the beginning of spring, the bush renews last year’s dead parts of the plant.
Each season, the bush produces up to three daughter rosettes of leaves that will bloom in the coming spring.
After flowering, seed pods are formed containing many small, round, dark seeds. The fruits of the blue poppy are elongated, densely pubescent, and become brown in color as they ripen. To collect the seed material, the poppy fruit is picked before it ripens, otherwise the seeds will end up on the ground. Until the next sowing, poppy seeds are stored in the refrigerator.
Himalayan blue poppy varieties
Himalayan poppy is grown in Europe and Russia. This species served as the basis for many hybrid varieties and various garden forms. The most famous varieties:
Basic principles of planting and care
In Russia, according to current legislation, it is prohibited to grow plants containing narcotic substances. Some species of the Poppy family fall under this ban. However, do not worry, the alphabetic poppy does not contain prohibited substances, it can be safely grown in unlimited quantities. But it is worth remembering that the milky sap of the plant is poisonous.
In the first year of life, the bush is quite weak and requires more attention and care. Starting from the second year, the blue poppy grows rapidly, begins to bloom and form new rosettes.
Himalayan poppy is a heat-loving plant: it can easily tolerate long-term hot and dry weather. However, at prolonged air temperatures above 35 degrees, the resulting buds dry out without opening.
Blue poppy is a tall perennial. To prevent flower stalks from breaking, it is recommended to use low supports for gartering flowers.
It is not difficult to grow a blue poppy; it is enough to follow simple rules for maintenance and care, thanks to which the bright bush will delight you with lush flowering for a long time. The basic principles for growing are choosing a place for planting, selecting the correct watering regime, periodically loosening and removing various herbs.
Selecting a location
For blue poppy, semi-shaded areas of the garden will be an excellent place: the flowers grow well under the canopy of garden trees. Despite the apparent fragility and tenderness of the plant, it is not afraid of wind, drafts, heat and rain. The flowers are quite resistant to various types of weather. But despite this, you should choose a landing site without strong gusts of wind.
The plant is unpretentious to the mechanical composition of the soil: it grows well on light, sandy, loose and non-acidic soils, with a large fertile layer.
Top dressing
To maintain a good level of soil fertility, it is actively enriched with leaf and turf peat, and complex mineral fertilizers are applied for flowering garden plants. Feeding is especially important in the first years of a bush's life. During the growing season, fertilizing is applied before flowering and at the end of autumn.
Various types of organic fertilizers, including wood ash, are extremely undesirable, even harmful, for blue poppy.
Watering
In relation to blue poppy, it is necessary to maintain a water balance. The bush can survive long dry weather. But both poor watering and excess water in the soil can negatively affect the decorative appearance of the Himalayan poppy.
To maintain soil moisture after watering, as well as to prevent overheating of the soil in hot weather, mulch the plantings. For these purposes, spruce needles, sawdust, shavings, dry leaves, grass, and bark are used.
For good growth and abundant flowering, it is necessary to maintain an optimal level of air humidity. That is why it is recommended to spray the bushes.
Trimming
In order for the blue poppy to become a permanent resident of a flowerbed or garden, it is necessary to cut off all flower stalks in the first year of life. This procedure will avoid the death of the young plant. Even one stem with a flower can cause the death of the entire plant. In the first year, trimming flower stalks before flowering prolongs the life of the plant.
After the growing season, the entire above-ground part is cut off at the root.
Wintering
The plant is frost-resistant and winter-hardy, able to survive temperatures dropping to -18 degrees. There is no need to purchase special covering materials for the plant. After autumn pruning, it is enough to cover the blue poppy with a good layer of fallen leaves, spruce branches, shavings or wood chips.
Diseases and pests: treatment methods
If the rules of care and maintenance are violated, the Himalayan poppy is affected by insect pests and various diseases:
- Powdery mildew
Often a fungal disease occurs on the plant - powdery mildew. It appears in the form of a white-gray coating on the above-ground part of the plant. The leaves wither, the plant stops growing and soon dies. At the first signs of the disease, the affected parts of the plant are cut off and burned away from the garden plot. As a preventative measure, the plant is treated with a soap solution and soda. The course of treatment includes 2-3 sprayings every 7-10 days. In case of severe damage, the bushes and soil are treated with fungicides. - Aphid
Among insect pests, aphids are especially dangerous. This small insect feeds on plant sap. As a result of an aphid attack, the plant weakens, the leaves and stems are deformed, the buds wither, and the fruits do not ripen. A bush weakened by the pest may die during hibernation. As a safe means of combating aphids, spraying with herbal decoctions of tansy, wormwood, onion, garlic, mustard, dandelion, and tomato tops is used. Spray the bushes 2-3 times during the month. Various insecticides are also used, but they can not only get rid of annoying pests, but also destroy beneficial garden insects.
Reproduction methods
Himalayan poppy can be propagated by seed and vegetative methods (by dividing the bush, cuttings). The easiest way to grow blue poppy on your site is with the help of seedlings, which can be purchased in specialized stores. You can also try to grow this amazing plant yourself using various methods:
Seeds
Blue poppy is sown in early spring for seedlings, and in the fall before winter in open ground. Plants grown from seeds bloom 3-4 years after planting.
Dividing the bush
- The main condition for successful division is the resting phase of the plant. You can use this method of propagating blue poppies twice a year: in the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the bush begins to wake up after hibernation, or in the fall, after flowering has completed and the above-ground part of the plant has withered.
- Dividing the bush should be carried out in cool, damp weather.
In spring, the plant is carefully dug out of the ground, without damaging the roots if possible. Carefully shake off the soil (in some cases, rinsing the roots with warm water is allowed). Old, diseased and damaged roots are removed. After this, the bush is divided so that each plot has one or a pair of growth buds, or a young rosette. Each separated part is planted in a previously prepared permanent place. For the first 7-14 days, new young plants need to be provided with partial shade and monitor a constant level of soil moisture. Then carry out the usual care. - In autumn, part of the plant's root is placed in a plastic bag filled with loose, damp soil. It is important that the bag has several small holes. Until spring, the plot is stored in the refrigerator or in the garden, buried in the foliage and sprinkled with a good layer of snow.
Cuttings
A more labor-intensive method compared to the method of dividing a bush. When propagating by cuttings, in the spring, an adult bush is not dug up, but only young lateral rosettes with roots are separated from it. The separated parts are then grown in separate greenhouses throughout the summer. Young plants are planted in a permanent place in the fall or next spring.
Plants obtained as a result of vegetative propagation bloom much earlier compared to the seed method.
Algorithm for propagating blue poppy seeds
Sequence of actions when propagating Himalayan poppy by seeds:
Seed selection
In specialized stores you can purchase proven blue poppy seed material. It should be remembered that self-collected seeds of the hybrid form of blue poppy do not retain the characteristics of the mother plant. This feature is not observed in varietal varieties.
Before planting, seeds must be subjected to forced stratification. To do this, the seed material is wrapped in a damp cloth, placed in a bag and stored in the refrigerator for 1.5 months.
Soil preparation
To grow seedlings, you can purchase a ready-made earthen, slightly acidic or neutral substrate, or prepare an earthen mixture yourself. Take one part of turf and leaf soil, sand, and mix with two parts of peat. The resulting earth mixture is disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven.
Preparing the container for planting
Choose a shallow, wide container with enough holes in the bottom to drain excess water. Flower shops offer special cassette containers for such purposes - wide containers divided into cells. Drainage material is placed at the bottom of the container. This can be expanded clay, brick chips, wood chips, crushed nut shells. The prepared soil is poured on top.
Sowing
At the end of February - beginning of March, seeds are sown for seedlings. At the end of August - beginning of September, poppies are sown in open ground.
Before sowing seeds for seedlings, the earthen substrate is moistened with a growth stimulator. This will speed up the development of the root system. For these purposes, drugs such as sodium humate solution, Novosil, Kornevin are used. Due to the low germination of Himalayan poppy seeds, stimulating drugs allow you to obtain full-fledged seedlings.
If possible, distribute the seeds evenly on the surface of the ground. Using a spoon or other suitable object, they are lightly pressed 1.5 - 2 mm into the ground. Sprinkle fine-grained sand on top and moisten the crops using a spray bottle. Only by creating a constant level of soil moisture can healthy seedlings be obtained.
To create a greenhouse effect, the container is covered with film or glass. The container is stored in a warm room, in diffused light, away from cold drafts. For ventilation, the film is periodically removed for a short period of time.
The first shoots will appear in 14-20 days. Growing seedlings is a rather complex process; getting healthy seedlings is very difficult, but with the proper experience, attention and diligence it is quite possible.
The optimal growing temperature is +10…+14 degrees. If the permissible temperature level is exceeded, the sprouts may die. Soil moisture should be constant. If watering conditions are violated, the sprouts are affected by the fungal disease “black leg”. To prevent the death of the plant and prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases, the soil and base of the plant roots are treated with the highly effective fungicide “Oxyx”. Before planting seedlings in open ground, the fungicide is used at least three times. After the formation of 2-3 leaves, if cassette seedling boxes were not used, the seedlings are transplanted into separate containers.
Before planting in a permanent place in the garden, seedlings are subjected to a hardening procedure. Gradually, starting from 10-20 minutes, the young shoots are taken out into the open air of the balcony or terrace. As soon as the plant gets stronger and the possibility of night spring frosts is excluded, the poppy is planted in a permanent place.
Planting and replanting in open ground
Young seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of spring, in warm, clear weather, with minimal chance of a drop in temperature. The distance between plants should be 20-40 cm.
The plant is transplanted either at the end of summer - beginning of autumn, at the end of the growing season, or at the beginning of spring, after the snow has melted.
Whether it is planting or replanting a blue poppy, you should carefully and carefully remove the plant, keeping the original lump of earth intact.
Growing Himalayan poppy on your own plot is a completely solvable task, but it requires a lot of attention and participation. Blue poppy can be considered a universal plant: it will easily fit into a flower garden and will decorate ridges and alpine slides. By combining with other types of meconopsis, you can create a constantly blooming flower bed throughout the summer. 
MECONOPSIS or BLUE POPPY or HIMALAYAN POPPY
"Meconopsis letterfolia"MECONOPSIS- a rare and remarkable in beauty perennial herbaceous plant with flowers of sky blue, yellow, orange, red and white colors. There are both One- and Biennial species of Meconopsis.
Most species are from the Himalayas, but there are also species from Europe. One of the most difficult tasks of a gardener is creating beautiful flower beds for different areas of the garden. To get acquainted with the author’s ready-made ideas for creating them and photographs of the colors used, we suggest watching this video course!
The most popular types of Meconopsis:
PHOTO: www.flowers.cveti-sadi.ru
1. MECONOPSIS LETONIFOLIA, OR BETONICEPHOLIA, OR BLUE POPPY, OR HIMALAYAN POPPY:
Tall up to 1 m Meconopsis with blue flowers up to 10 pieces on one bush with flowers up to 10 cm in d - an extraordinary sight, but very difficult to achieve due to the very complex agricultural technology of growing this type of poppy, as well as due to the peculiarities of the life cycle, since it is believed that it blooms only once and dies after the seeds ripen. Some sources indicate. that when creating the proper conditions for this plant, close to high mountain ones, i.e. sufficient humidity, partial shade, low temperature in summer, new rosettes grow from the rhizome and the plant can take root in the garden and bloom for a long time. It must also be taken into account that blue poppy is not always blue, but often has a lilac or pink tint.
Growing Meconopsis Limitfolia or Blue Poppy from seeds - planting and care:
The difficulties of agricultural technology lie in the seed propagation of this type of poppy. The seeds are difficult to germinate, and the hatched seedlings, despite all the efforts of the grower, usually die en masse at different stages of development. The seeds are sown in very loose, completely sterile soil, on the surface and only dusted with soil.
The first difficult period: the time of root pecking - you need to immerse the root vertically in the ground, because the seedling cannot do this on its own. Seedlings are kept in constantly high humidity, spilled with solutions of either Epin to stimulate, or a weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent rotting. "Meconopsis" PHOTO: www.flowers.cveti-sadi.ru Airing repeatedly to prevent fungal diseases, but not for long, so as not to dry out.
There are experiments with stratification of already sown seeds after 2 weeks in the refrigerator, there are experiments with boxes with sown seeds left in the garden under the snow, etc. Almost all of them lead to the fact that, at best, 2/3 of the seedlings die.
"Meconopsis Cambrian" The second difficult period, if the seedlings have survived to it, is picking into separate pots, getting accustomed to drier air and transplanting into the garden. When picking, do not disturb the root system as much as possible.
It is better to avoid this procedure altogether at the first stage, planting the hatched seeds separately, and at the second stage simply transferring them with a clod of earth. "Meconopsis Cumbrian" PHOTO: www.flowers.cveti-sadi.ru The first year the seedling develops very poorly, but sometimes it can even bloom. It is imperative to remove the bud as early as possible, because... this will allow the plant to become stronger, overwinter and produce a large flower the next year.
2. MECONOPSIS CAMBARIAN:
much more common, although short-lived. Perennial species with bright yellow, orange or red flowers up to 5 cm in d. Plant height is up to 1 m. Since seed propagation and vegetative separation of basal rosettes is more successful, it is quite popular in Europe. Sometimes, under suitable conditions, it self-sows. There are varieties with double flowers.
3. MECONOPSIS HYBRID:
The most popular - Sheldon's hybrid- a derivative of Meconopsis alphabet and Meconopsis large. The flowers are bright blue or purple, the plant height is up to 1.5 m, more frost-resistant. "Meconopsis Sheldon Hybrid" Since there is no limit to the perseverance of flower growers and breeders, apparently the future is not far when we will be able to plant this blue one in our garden miracle. Therefore, let's get acquainted with requirements, which this poppy presents for growth.
Growing Meconopsis - planting and care:
Location:
Partial shade with sun protection at midday is preferred. Sufficient space for growth.
The soil:
Loose, fertile, light, without stagnation of moisture. Meconopsis Cambrian is less demanding on soil, so any fertile garden soil will suit it.
Growing Meconopsis
The genus Meconopsis includes 45 species of perennial herbaceous plants from the Poppy family. It grows naturally in the Himalayas and is the national flower of Bhutan.
It is popularly called blue poppy or Himalayan poppy. Sources claim that Meconopsis was first grown in the UK around 1922, after the British expedition to Everest accidentally discovered the plant. Over the years, as a result of selection, magnificent hybrids have emerged that are popular with gardeners all over the world. Under comfortable growing conditions, Meconopsis lives and blooms for 3-4 years.
However, in less than ideal conditions, it can be a short-lived plant - a monocarp that blooms only once before dying. The success of growing blue poppies in our region is a serious challenge for both amateur and expert gardeners. Originally from the mountainous regions of South-Eastern Tibet, this almost magical plant requires special conditions, but if all the rules are followed, Meconopsis will give the garden the amazing beauty of its delicate flowers.
Growing Meconopsis from seeds
Seeds are sown after stratification. At the turn of January and February, good quality planting material is laid out in an even layer on a damp paper towel.
After spreading the seeds, place another layer of towel on top, then seal in a plastic bag or foil. Place the bag on the top shelf of the refrigerator for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Storage temperature - from 0 to +4?
C and not higher. After removing from the refrigerator, place the towel with the seeds on the prepared wet substrate (try to keep the container quite wide and flat). For sowing, we use a soil mixture of peat mixed in half with perlite.
After removing the towel, use a flat object to press the seeds to the ground, but do not sprinkle them. The seeds germinate in diffuse sunlight. Seedlings require constant and evenly moist soil.
At temperatures around 15 0C, germination time can range from 1 to 3 months. We dive after the young sprouts have 2 leaves. After picking, do not allow the soil to dry out; maintain constant moisture, but do not flood it.
To maintain the greenhouse effect, containers can be covered with film with small holes. Within a month after diving, you can feed the seedlings with half a dose of complex fertilizer. Seedlings are planted in the ground after the last frost at a distance of 35–40 cm from each other.
In the first year it is better to remove all buds. The plant will get stronger and will delight you with beautiful flowering next year.
Choose a cool planting location, protected from strong winds and direct sunlight. Soil preparation is one of the most important factors. To do this, mix the soil well with plenty of peat and a dose of fertilizer for azaleas.
A mixture of one part compost or rotted manure, one part tree bark and two parts original soil works well. During the season, it is necessary to fertilize again with a complex fertilizer during the flowering period in order to guarantee good seed ripening (if necessary). And to increase the chances of preserving Meconopsis as a perennial plant, the seed pods should be removed before ripening.
All summer, the plant needs regular, abundant watering, otherwise the Himalayan poppy will die immediately after flowering. Mulch of fine crushed stone or compost of rotted leaves around the base of the stem will help maintain soil moisture and prevent overheating of the root system during the hot period. In the garden, the blue poppy will look beautiful at the edge of the area of ornamental shrubs and lawns. Ideally combined with hydrangea, ferns and meadow grasses, low-growing mullein, clematis and princelings, quamcolitis.
Popular types and varieties
Meconopsis betonicifolia with bright blue flowers. Height 60-80 cm. The well-known variety “Alba” has white flowers. Welsh Meconopsis (Meconopsis cambrica) - requires soil with the addition of limestone, blooms in July-August with orange or yellow flowers.
The height of this plant is 30-40 cm.
Growing meconopsis in a summer cottage
Many lucky people who have their own summer cottage grow not only vegetables and fruits. Representatives of the fairer sex plant flower beds in their dachas, which greatly enhances outdoor recreation.
For example, growing meconopsis has become popular recently. This perennial plant, similar to poppy, was brought to us from Tibet. Once upon a time it could only be found in Europe, but now the seeds are also sold here.
In order for your flowerbed to be decorated with meconopsis, you can purchase its seedlings from nurseries. Most often they are sold in containers or with dormant rhizomes. This delicate flower must be immediately planted in the ground, being careful not to damage the rhizome. If you can’t get seedlings, then you can try growing it from seeds.
Reproduction of meconopsis flowers in the country from seeds
Growing meconopsis at home is quite difficult in the country, and the main reason is that many seeds die. The best seeds for planting are fresh seeds, which are stored in the cold before planting.
Dried seeds lose their viability and require long-term stratification for at least a month. Most often, the packaging with seeds indicates the period of their stratification and the temperature in which they were there. If the planting time is already running out and it is not possible to wait a whole month, you can cause the seeds to germinate artificially.
For this purpose, there are adaptation preparations such as “Zircon” or a sodium composition. The ideal soil for growing meconopsis in a summer cottage would be fairly loose soil, not very acidic. Fertilizer should also not be too much.
For these purposes, the best option would be to purchase ready-made land intended for conifers and azaleas. This type of flower does not like too much moisture in the root part, so care should be taken to ensure good drainage.
It can be made from broken brick, expanded clay, or sawdust. Before planting the seeds, you will need to prepare a box where your seedlings will sprout. Place drainage in the prepared container and fill it to the top with soil.
The soil needs to be watered generously with the mixture for active seed germination. Each seed needs to be pressed a little into the ground and sprinkled with river sand, then treat the surface again with the same nutrient composition using a spray bottle.
When everything is ready, the box needs to be covered with film and placed on the windowsill, so that direct rays of the sun do not fall. Now, all the time until the meconopsis seeds germinate, control the soil moisture. The best temperature for this plant at this stage is 10 degrees.
C, if it increases even by 5 grams. The plant may die at an early stage. The first shoots appear after 20 days, after which the film from the box must be removed. After this, the seedlings will gain strength for another 2 months.
When the plant grows 2-3 leaves, you can add peat to the soil. When planting a flower in a permanent place, you need to be careful; it does not like to be transplanted, so you need to try to replant with a large lump of earth on the roots. Most meconopsis are considered biennial plants, but they often need 3-4 years to reach the beautiful flowering phase. Meconopsis betonicifolia, Meconopsis - Himalayan blue poppy video Growing meconopsis in a summer cottage is quite labor-intensive work and the result is worth the effort.
This plant looks and feels ideal near artificial ponds or in a shaded area of the garden. The flower will be one of the best decorations for any flower bed, but for its comfortable growth you will need to maintain a distance of 30 cm between species. Do not forget that this type of flower is picky and will not tolerate dry soil; for this, the ground around the plant needs to be mulched.
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How to grow and care for meconopsis - varieties and types of meconopsis
Meconopsis - blue bell poppy. About fifty varieties of this beautifully flowering plant are known. Perhaps the most famous among those who grow flowers is “meconopsis alphabetifolia” - gardeners also know it as the Himalayan poppy. Indeed, the flowers of this beautiful plant with a rich blue color resemble poppies familiar from childhood. Meconopsis is grown in culture mainly as young plants, some species are monocarpic, that is, after flowering and fruiting the plants die.
Most meconopsis are rosette or semi-rosette plants. Some perennial polycarpic species can form a rosette consisting of a large number of leaves, vegetative and generative shoots.
Monocarpics (Meconopsis Nepalese, paniculata, royal) form a single rosette and are winter-green plants. Within the genus, the shape of the leaf blade is varied. The leaves can be either whole, with almost smooth edges, or lobed or dissected, with jagged edges, glabrous, pubescent, bristly.
The flowers are actinomorphic, large (from 6-10 to 25 cm in diameter), solitary, in racemes or paniculate inflorescences, sepals - 2, petals - 4 (sometimes up to 10), various colors. One of the most accurate features that allowed scientists to determine Which species of the poppy family should be classified as the genus Papaver and which should be classified as Meconopsis was determined by the structure of the pistil and seed capsule. Thus, in real poppies, the pistil consists of an ovary and a sessile stigma, from which a kind of disk is subsequently formed at the top of the poppy.
When the capsule dries and turns brown, the seeds will disperse through the holes located directly under the disk. In meconopsis, the pistil consists of an ovary, a style and a stigma, which, unlike poppies, does not form a stigmatic disc. Thus, the capsule opens when the seeds ripen
Where do meconopsis grow - distribution area
With the exception of the only European species of Meconopsis Cambrianus, the remaining members of the genus grow in the highland regions of southwestern China, Nepal, Bhutan, India and Burma with cold, dry winters and humid, cool summers. In the spring, when the temperature begins to rise and the snow cover gradually melts, meconopsis begin to grow.
Blooming specimens in nature can be seen from May to August. Authoritative English florist Dr. James Cobb, who lives in the eastern part of Scotland within 1 km from the North Sea and has been dealing with meconopsis for 30 years, noted: “Before, when the average annual the amount of precipitation was at least 25 inches (640 mm) and the temperature in the summer rarely rose above +24 ° C, meconopsis felt excellent in our conditions. But in the last 15 years, when the climate became hotter and drier, growing meconopsis has become much more difficult due to insufficient air humidity.” Currently, meconopsis are quite successfully grown not only in the UK, but also in Ireland, Western European countries, Scandinavian peninsulas, central and eastern Canada, USA (Alaska), Japan and even certain parts of Australia and New Zealand.
MAIN TYPES AND VARIETIES OF MECONOPSIS
Meconopsis betonicifolia. Homeland - eastern Himalayas, southeastern Tibet, Upper Burma, northern and northwestern Yunnan province (China).
It grows in mountain forests, gorges, in wet alpine meadows, along river banks among low herbaceous and semi-shrub vegetation, at an altitude of 3000 to 4000 m above sea level. A perennial polycarpic herbaceous plant, often a perennial in cultivation. The leaves are oblong, with jagged edges, with a truncated or heart-shaped leaf base.
The lower (rosette) leaves are petiolate, the middle ones are semi-stem-encompassing, the 3-4 upper leaves, located under the peduncle, are collected in a whorl. The leaves and peduncles are covered with reddish bristles. The straight leafy peduncle can reach 1.5 m in height, but usually does not exceed 1 m. The flowers are saucer-shaped, four-petaled, 7.5-10 cm in diameter, on graceful pedicels, turned to the side and located in the top of the plant.
The color varies from sky blue to pink-lavender (at the end of flowering). The stamens are numerous, bright yellow, protruding prominently in the center of the flower. Blooms in June.
There are forms of meconopsis alphabetic with white and purple flowers. Particularly popular for 40 years has been the more unpretentious Meconopsis Sheldon (M. x sheldonii), a hybrid of Meconopsis alphabetifolia and Meconopsis greater.
Most varieties of this hybrid are sterile and reproduce only vegetatively. The exception is the Lingholm variety, which produces viable seeds. Large meconopsis (Meconopsis grandis) First described in 1880 from plants collected in the Sikkim region (eastern Himalayas).
Later, this species was discovered in Nepal, in some parts of southeastern Tibet, and Bhutan. In nature, it grows on the edges and outskirts of forests, sometimes in open areas of high-mountain pastures, at an altitude of 3000 to 5400 m above sea level. It is a perennial semi-rosette plant, reaching 50-60 cm in height during flowering.
The species is close to Meconopsis alphabetifolia. The shape of the leaves varies from lanceolate to elliptical or elongated, with jagged, jagged edges. The leaves are covered with sparse reddish bristles.
The flowers are blue, violet or lilac-violet, rarely pink-violet, 8-12 cm in diameter, on graceful, bristle-covered peduncles 12-15 cm long. In culture since 1895. Meconopsis bristly (Meconopsis horridula). Homeland - highland regions of Nepal and western China.
A small monocarpic rosette plant, up to 25 cm tall. The leaves are dark green, lanceolate to elliptical. The leaves and peduncles are covered with yellowish or dark red sharp bristles.
The flowers are solitary, from light to dark blue in color, sometimes with a purple tint, 5-7.5 cm in diameter. The species is rare in cultivation and problematic when grown. Meconopsis integrifolia Grows in the mountains of Tibet and northwestern China.
In nature, it is found on rocky and grassy slopes, screes, in gorges, at an altitude of 2700 to 4200 m. Biennial. The leaves are simple, elongated, covered with soft golden-yellow or reddish-brown hairs, collected in a rosette.
The plant forms from 3 to 5 (occasionally up to 10) unbranched straight peduncles 50-60 centimeters high. The flowers are huge, pale or deep yellow, up to 20 cm in diameter. It has been known in culture since the beginning of the 20th century.
Meconopsis cambhca The only European species. Homeland - western Ireland, Wales, south-west England, north-west Spain.
In nature, it grows in semi-shaded and fairly humid places, often under the forest canopy in the foothills. Cumbrian Meconopsis grows well in the climatic conditions of Ukraine. Plants up to 60 centimeters tall, with rather decorative pinnately divided leaves.
The flowers are 5-6.5 centimeters in diameter, yellow or orange-yellow. Flowering is long-lasting - from June until frost, but at high summer temperatures this process may be suspended. In culture, a juvenile.
It has varieties with orange (var. Aurantica) and semi-double flowers (var. flora plena). This species prefers partial shade, fertile, medium-textured soils with a neutral pH level. In the hot summer months it needs watering.
Nepalese meconopsis (Meconopsis napaulensis) It has a fairly extensive range - from Nepal to Sichuan, where it is found at altitudes from 2800 to 5300 m. It is a powerful, semi-rosette, winter-green plant, reaching 2 m in height during flowering. The leaves are oval to elliptic, pinnately lobed.
The flowers are in paniculate inflorescences, 6-8 cm in diameter, deep red, pink or purple, white-flowered forms are occasionally found. Monocarpic, blooms in the 3-4th year of life. Meconopsis paniculate. Homeland - Himalayas.
The height of the plant during the flowering period is 120-180 centimeters. Monocarpic. Forms large rosettes with narrow oval, pinnately lobed, densely bristly leaves. Yellow cup-shaped flowers up to 8 cm in diameter are collected in massive panicles.
Blooms from June to July, rarely until August. Meconopsis punicea One of the most amazing representatives of the genus.
It was discovered by N. M. Przhevalsky in the north-east of Tibet in 1884. It grows on damp grassy meadows and slopes, among semi-shrub vegetation (often surrounded by rhododendrons), mainly in partial shade, at an altitude of 3000-4500 m. Perennial, with an unbranched stem root and rosette of elongated or elliptical leaves covered with soft reddish hairs. Peduncles are graceful, unbranched, up to 60 cm in height.
Single, downward-pointing flowers of bright red color, bell-shaped. Petals 4, occasionally 5-6, oval, up to 10 centimeters in length. This species does not reproduce vegetatively.
For a long time it was believed that seed propagation of purple-red Meconopsis in culture is difficult due to the low germination of seeds. However, the above-mentioned James Cobb found that when freshly harvested seeds are sown in the fall, friendly shoots appear in the spring, and some specimens bloom in the same year.
When sowing in spring, you have to wait a whole year for seedlings, until next spring. In culture it is monocarpic, but we can expect that in the future more persistent and long-lived forms of this species will be obtained. Five-line meconopsis (Meconopsis quintuplinervia), or bell poppy.
Discovered by the expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky to Gansu (northwest China) in 1880, described using the example of cultivated plants grown from seeds donated by the expedition to St. Petersburg. This is an unpretentious perennial rosette polycarpic plant with a fibrous root system and well-developed, branched underground shoots. In winter, the entire above-ground part of the plants dies; in the spring, young shoots develop from underground “dormant” buds.
The leaves are simple, oval or lanceolate, with smooth edges, covered on the upper and lower sides with yellowish or reddish bristles. The peduncles are unbranched, bristly, up to 60 cm tall, but there are forms in which the height of the peduncle does not exceed 15-20 cm.
The flowers are solitary, four-petaled, less often 5-6-petalled, pale or dark purple, drooping, bell-shaped. The length of the petals is about 3 cm. Flowering begins in May and can last throughout the summer, provided that faded flowers are removed in a timely manner. The species is of interest for further breeding work; it can form hybrids with meconopsis purple-red, whole-leaved, letter-leaved and Cumbrian.
Growing and caring for meconopsis
Menonopsis in culture is propagated mainly by seeds, which are sown in early or mid-January in small containers. The soil for sowing and further cultivation should be sufficiently loose, nutritious, of average mechanical composition, with a neutral or, preferably, slightly acidic reaction of the soil solution.
You can make the following composition: not very acidic peat, leaf humus, sand and turf soil (1: 1: 1: 1). Before sowing, the soil must be watered with a rich pink solution of potassium permanganate. Sowing is superficial. Try to sow rarely, lightly press the seeds into the soil.
Then sprinkle with a thin layer of sand and water carefully. The crops are covered with glass or plastic wrap and after a day they are placed in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (for stratification). In early February, the seed containers are transferred to a room with a temperature of +12-14 degrees.
Shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. Seeds collected in the fall of the previous year germinate together. If most of the seeds did not even germinate or the seeds turned out to be nonviable, this is most likely due to the fact that the period from collecting the seeds (in seed farms) to their packaging in hermetically sealed packaging at factories dragged on.
Seeds that have been stored for more than a year under normal conditions and without hermetically sealed packaging also lose their germination capacity. You should not completely remove the glass immediately after germination; you just need to slightly lift or move it away. Tender seedlings must be accustomed to drier air gradually, preferably on cloudy days. Picking is carried out in the cotyledon phase, 14-20 days after emergence.
If a “black leg” occurs, picking can be done earlier. Dive into separate small five-centimeter cassettes or cups.
Watering is provided as it dries, once every 2-3 days, moderately. From mid-May (in the phase of 3-5 leaves), the plants are taken out into the garden and placed in a semi-shaded place. Caring for meconopsis consists of regular watering and fertilizing with a weak solution of complete mineral fertilizer.
Plants often suffer from aphids, so it is necessary to carry out timely treatments. If the seedlings develop at a normal pace, in July you can transplant the plants into large (10 cm in diameter) pots by transshipment without destroying the earthen coma. Young plants are planted in open ground in August-September.
Although meconopsis respond positively to high air humidity, they do not tolerate stagnant water at all, so the soil should be loose, medium or light in mechanical composition, slightly acidic and fertile. Choose a place protected from the winds, illuminated by the sun from morning to evening and shaded during the midday heat. Plants do not require special shelter for the winter; they are usually “insulated” with fallen leaves during the first frost. They bloom in the 2-3rd year. Author of the text and recommendations for caring for meconopsis is Anna Gorai.
Meconopsis - blue bell poppy. About fifty varieties of this beautifully flowering plant are known.
Perhaps the most famous among those who grow flowers is “Meconopsis alphabetifolia” - it is also known to gardeners as the Himalayan poppy.
Indeed, the rich blue flowers of this beautiful plant resemble poppies familiar from childhood.
In culture, meconopsis are grown mainly as young plants; some species are monocarpic, that is, after flowering and fruiting, the plants die. Most meconopsis are rosette or semi-rosette plants. Some perennial polycarpic species can form a rosette consisting of a large number of leaves, vegetative and generative shoots. Monocarpics (Meconopsis Nepalese, paniculata, royal) form a single rosette and are winter-green plants.
Within the genus, the shape of the leaf blade is varied. The leaves can be either whole, with almost smooth edges, or lobed or dissected, with jagged edges, glabrous, pubescent, bristly. The flowers are actinomorphic, large (from 6-10 to 25 cm in diameter), solitary, in racemose or paniculate inflorescences, 2 sepals, 4 petals (sometimes up to 10), of various colors.
One of the most accurate features that allowed scientists to determine which species of the poppy family to classify as the genus Papaver and which to Meconopsis was the structure of the pistil and seed capsule. Thus, in real poppies, the pistil consists of an ovary and a sessile stigma, from which a kind of disk is subsequently formed at the top of the poppy. When the capsule dries and turns brown, the seeds will disperse through the holes located directly under the disk. In meconopsis, the pistil consists of an ovary, a style and a stigma, which, unlike poppies, does not form a stigmatic disc. Thus, the capsule opens when the seeds ripen
Where do meconopsis grow - distribution area
With the exception of the only European species of Meconopsis Cambrian, the remaining members of the genus grow in the high mountainous regions of southwestern China, Nepal, Bhutan, India and Burma with cold, dry winters and humid, cool summers. In the spring, when the temperature begins to rise and the snow cover gradually melts, meconopsis begins to grow. Blooming specimens in nature can be seen from May to August.
An authoritative English florist, Dr. James Cobb, who lives in the eastern part of Scotland within 1 km of the North Sea and has been working with meconopsis for 30 years, noted: “In the past, when the average annual rainfall was at least 25 inches (640 mm) and the temperature in the summer rarely rose above +24°C, meconopsis felt excellent in our conditions. But in the last 15 years, when the climate has become hotter and drier, growing meconopsis has become much more difficult due to insufficient air humidity.”
Currently, meconopsis are grown quite successfully not only in the UK, but also in Ireland, Western Europe, the Scandinavian Peninsula, central and eastern Canada, the USA (Alaska), Japan and even in certain parts of Australia and New Zealand.
MAIN TYPES AND VARIETIES OF MECONOPSIS
Meconopsis betonicifolia.
Homeland - eastern Himalayas, southeastern Tibet, Upper Burma, northern and northwestern Yunnan province (China). It grows in mountain forests, gorges, in wet alpine meadows, along river banks among low herbaceous and semi-shrub vegetation, at an altitude of 3000 to 4000 m above sea level.
A perennial polycarpic herbaceous plant, often an annual plant in cultivation. The leaves are oblong, with jagged edges, with a truncated or heart-shaped leaf base. The lower (rosette) leaves are petiolate, the middle ones are semi-stem-encompassing, the 3-4 upper leaves, located under the peduncle, are collected in a whorl. The leaves and peduncles are covered with reddish bristles.
A straight leafy peduncle can reach 1.5 m in height, but usually does not exceed 1 m. The flowers are saucer-shaped, four-petaled, 7.5-10 cm in diameter, on graceful pedicels, turned to the side and located in the upper part of the plant. The color varies from sky blue to pink-lavender (at the end of flowering). The stamens are numerous, bright yellow, protruding prominently in the center of the flower. Blooms in June. There are forms of meconopsis alphabetic with white and purple flowers. Particularly popular for 40 years has been the more unpretentious Meconopsis Sheldon (M. x sheldonii), a hybrid of Meconopsis alphabetifolia and Meconopsis greater. Most varieties of this hybrid are sterile and reproduce only vegetatively. The exception is the Lingholm variety, which produces viable seeds.
Large meconopsis (Meconopsis grandis)
First described in 1880 from plants collected in the Sikkim region (eastern Himalayas). Later, this species was discovered in Nepal, in some parts of southeastern Tibet, and Bhutan. In nature, it grows on the edges and outskirts of forests, sometimes in open areas of high-mountain pastures, at an altitude of 3000 to 5400 m above sea level.
This is a perennial semi-rosette plant, reaching 50-60 cm in height during flowering. The species is close to Meconopsis alphabetifolia. The shape of the leaves varies from lanceolate to elliptical or elongated, with jagged, jagged edges. The leaves are covered with sparse reddish bristles. The flowers are blue, violet or lilac-violet, rarely pink-violet, 8-12 cm in diameter, on graceful, bristle-covered peduncles 12-15 cm long. In culture since 1895.
Meconopsis bristly (Meconopsis horridula).
Homeland - highland regions of Nepal and western China. A small monocarpic rosette plant, up to 25 cm tall. The leaves are dark green, lanceolate to elliptical. The leaves and peduncles are covered with yellowish or dark red sharp bristles. The flowers are solitary, from light to dark blue in color, sometimes with a purple tint, 5-7.5 cm in diameter. The species is rare in cultivation and problematic when grown.
Meconopsis integrifolia
Grows in the mountains of Tibet and northwestern China. In nature, it is found on rocky and grassy slopes, screes, in gorges, at an altitude of 2700 to 4200 m. Biennial. The leaves are simple, elongated, covered with soft golden-yellow or reddish-brown hairs, collected in a rosette. The plant forms from 3 to 5 (occasionally up to 10) unbranched straight peduncles 50-60 centimeters high. The flowers are huge, pale or deep yellow, up to 20 cm in diameter. It has been known in culture since the beginning of the 20th century.
Meconopsis cambhca
The only European species. Homeland - western Ireland, Wales, south-west England, north-west Spain. In nature it grows in semi-shaded and fairly humid places, often under the forest canopy in the foothills.
Meconopsis Cumbrian grows well in the climatic conditions of Ukraine. Plants up to 60 centimeters tall, with rather decorative pinnately divided leaves. The flowers are 5-6.5 centimeters in diameter, yellow or orange-yellow. Flowering is long-lasting - from June until frost, but at high summer temperatures this process may be suspended. In culture, a juvenile. It has varieties with orange (var. Aurantica) and semi-double flowers (var. flora plena).
This species prefers partial shade, fertile, average soil texture with a neutral pH level. In the hot summer months it needs watering.
Nepalese meconopsis (Meconopsis napaulensis)
It has a fairly extensive range - from Nepal to Sichuan, where it is found at altitudes from 2800 to 5300 m. It is a powerful, semi-rosette, winter-green plant, reaching 2 m in height during flowering. The leaves are oval to elliptic, pinnately lobed. The flowers are in paniculate inflorescences, 6-8 cm in diameter, deep red, pink or purple, white-flowered forms are occasionally found. Monocarpic, blooms in the 3-4th year of life.
Meconopsis paniculate.
Homeland - Himalayas. The height of the plant during the flowering period is 120-180 centimeters. Monocarpic. Forms large rosettes with narrow oval, pinnately lobed, densely bristly leaves.
Yellow cup-shaped flowers up to 8 cm in diameter are collected in massive panicles. Blooms from June to July, rarely until August.
Meconopsis punicea
One of the most amazing representatives of the genus. N.M. was discovered Przhevalsky in the north-east of Tibet in 1884. Grows in damp grassy meadows and slopes, among semi-shrub vegetation (often surrounded by rhododendrons), mainly in partial shade, at an altitude of 3000-4500 m. Perennial, with a taproot, unbranched and a rosette of elongated or elliptical leaves covered with soft reddish hairs. Peduncles are graceful, unbranched, up to 60 cm in height. Single, downward-pointing flowers of bright red color, bell-shaped. Petals 4, occasionally 5-6, oval, up to 10 centimeters in length. This species does not reproduce vegetatively. For a long time it was believed that seed propagation of purple-red Meconopsis in culture is difficult due to the low germination of seeds. However, the above-mentioned James Cobb found that when freshly harvested seeds are sown in the fall, friendly shoots appear in the spring, and some specimens bloom in the same year. When sowing in spring, you have to wait a whole year for seedlings, until next spring. In culture it is monocarpic, but we can expect that in the future more persistent and long-lived forms of this species will be obtained.
Five-line meconopsis (Meconopsis quintuplinervia), or bell poppy.
Discovered by the expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky in Gansu (northwest China) in 1880, is described using the example of cultivated plants grown from seeds donated by the expedition in St. Petersburg.
This is an unpretentious perennial rosette polycarpic plant with a fibrous root system and well-developed, branched underground shoots. In winter, the entire above-ground part of the plants dies; in the spring, young shoots develop from underground “dormant” buds. The leaves are simple, oval or lanceolate, with smooth edges, covered on the upper and lower sides with yellowish or reddish bristles. The peduncles are unbranched, bristly, up to 60 cm tall, but there are forms in which the height of the peduncle does not exceed 15-20 cm. The flowers are solitary, four-petaled, less often 5-6-petaled, pale or dark purple, drooping, shaped like a bell . The length of the petals is about 3 cm. Flowering begins in May and can last throughout the summer, provided that faded flowers are removed in a timely manner.
The species is of interest for further breeding work; it can form hybrids with Meconopsis purple-red, whole-leaved, letter-leaved and Cumbrian.
Growing and caring for meconopsis
Menonopsis in culture is propagated mainly by seeds, which are sown in early or mid-January in small containers. The soil for sowing and further cultivation should be sufficiently loose, nutritious, of average mechanical composition, with a neutral or, preferably, slightly acidic reaction of the soil solution. You can make the following composition: not very acidic peat, leaf humus, sand and turf soil (1: 1: 1: 1). Before sowing, the soil must be shed with a rich pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Surface sowing. Try to sow rarely, lightly press the seeds into the soil. Then sprinkle with a thin layer of sand and water carefully. The crops are covered with glass or plastic wrap and after a day they are placed in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (for stratification).
At the beginning of February, the sowing containers are transferred to a room with a temperature of +12-14 degrees. Shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. Seeds collected in the fall of the previous year germinate together.
If most of the seeds did not even hatch or the seeds turned out to be non-viable, then this is most likely due to the fact that the period from collecting the seeds (in seed farms) to packaging them in hermetically sealed packaging in factories was delayed. Seeds stored for more than a year under normal conditions and without hermetically sealed packaging also lose their viability.
You should not completely remove the glass immediately after emergence; you just need to slightly lift or move it away. It is necessary to gradually accustom tender seedlings to drier air, preferably on cloudy days.
Picking is carried out in the cotyledon phase, 14-20 days after emergence. If a “black leg” occurs, picking can be done earlier. Dive into separate small five-centimeter cassettes or cups. Watering is provided as it dries, once every 2-3 days, moderately.
From mid-May (in the phase of 3-5 leaves), the plants are taken out into the garden and placed in a semi-shaded place. Caring for meconopsis consists of regular watering and fertilizing with a weak solution of complete mineral fertilizer. Plants often suffer from aphids, so timely treatment is necessary.
If the seedlings develop at a normal pace, in July you can transplant the plants into large (10 cm in diameter) pots by transferring them without destroying the earthen clod. Young plants are planted in open ground in August-September. Although meconopsis respond positively to high air humidity, they do not tolerate stagnant water at all, so the soil should be loose, medium or light in mechanical composition, slightly acidic and fertile. Choose a place protected from the winds, illuminated by the sun from morning to evening and shaded during the midday heat.
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