Leaf
Agnieszka Kwiecień, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Oriental poppy
Papaver orientale L.
Family: Papaveraceae
60 cm to 1 m tall
Planted in a sunny bed, rich, free-draining soils
Flowering: May – June
Full sun
Very hardy, to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The deep black centre at the heart of the orange-red petals of the oriental poppy creates a striking contrast that guides bumblebees straight to the pollen — a visual marker almost as clear as a target. Same family and same crumpled flower shape, but the wild common poppy is smaller and bright red with an inconspicuous black centre, whereas the cultivated oriental poppy is much larger, often orange, with a very pronounced black centre.
🍃 Leaves
Large, cut, hairy, forming a basal clump
🌸 Flowers
Very large, bright orange-red, with a spectacular black centre, silky, crumpled petals
🍎 Fruits
Large ovoid capsule, decorative when dry
🪵 Bark
Herbaceous perennial clump, hairy stem exuding a yellowish latex when cut
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the Caucasus and Asia Minor; widely grown in France as a border perennial
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large, very nectar-rich flower, extremely attractive to bumblebees and bees in spring
✂️ Horticultural uses
Spectacular border perennial, planted for its early, flamboyant flowering; the foliage dies back after flowering
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Latex slightly irritant on contact; all parts slightly toxic if ingested
⚠️ Look-alike species
Oriental poppy
Papaver orientale
Corn poppy
Papaver rhoeas
Same family and same crumpled flower shape, but the wild common poppy is smaller and bright red with an inconspicuous black centre, whereas the cultivated oriental poppy is much larger, often orange, with a very pronounced black centre.
🌿 Other Papaveraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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