Papaver 'Brilliant'

Papaver 'Brilliant': Fire-Engine Red, Black at Heart

Fiery scarlet petals around a dark centre, glowing like a stop sign that's had three espressos. This poppy did not come here to blend in. 'BRILLIANT' IS NOT A NICKNAME, IT'S A FACT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Papaver orientale 'Brilliant'
• Common Name: Oriental Poppy
• Height: 60–80 cm (2–2.5 ft)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (1.5–2 ft)
• Flowers: Large, bowl-shaped, fiery scarlet blooms, 10–12 cm (4–5 in) across, with dark centres and black stamens
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Deeply cut, hairy green leaves that die back after flowering
• Features: Good cut flower, decorative seed pods

Where to Plant: Give it a sunny spot in the middle of a border, where something bushier can fill in once it goes dormant in summer. It's also worth a place in a cut-flower bed, since the stems cut well and the seed pods dry nicely.

Companion Plants: Give 'Brilliant' a sunny, dry bed with summer plants that cover the space after it goes dormant. Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' edges the front with red and yellow daisies at 20 to 25 cm from June to September. Salvia 'Perfect Profusion' adds icy blue spikes at 41 to 51 cm from June to August. Perovskia atriplicifolia brings a haze of lavender-blue at 90 to 120 cm from July to September. Panicum Prairie Winds® 'Totem Pole' rises behind at 180 cm on stiff, powdery blue stems.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to fertile, well-drained soil. Oriental poppies hate wet feet, especially in winter, so skip low spots and soggy clay. Water through the first season, then only during long droughts. After blooming, cut the flower stems down, or leave some for the pods. The leaves yellow and vanish by midsummer, which is normal. New leaves appear again in fall. Poppies grow a deep taproot and resent being moved. If you must divide or transplant, do it in late summer while the plant is dormant.

History: The oriental poppy is native to the Caucasus, northeastern Turkey and northern Iran, and has been a garden favourite in Europe and North America for well over a century. 'Brilliant' is also sold as a seed-grown strain, valued for its bright, consistent red.

Final Thoughts: When the show's over, leave the seed pods. They're basically free garden sculpture. TAKE A BOW, THEN TAKE A PICTURE.