Papaver nudicaule
Iceland poppy, Arctic poppy: contrary to what its name suggests, this species does not come from Iceland but from the subarctic regions of Asia and North America. From its polar origins, it has retained a marked preference for cool conditions and exceptional hardiness, along with a range of colors that few flowers can match.
Characteristics:
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Fragrant flowering: from May–June to September, in a bright range of yellow, orange, red, pink, and white, on slender leafless stems.
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Short-lived perennial: generally grown as an annual or biennial, it does not appreciate overly hot summers.
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Very hardy: it tolerates cold down to -20 °C.
Precautions:
- Like all poppies, the plant contains small amounts of alkaloids: avoid ingesting it, especially by young children and pets.
Sowing advice:
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Exposure: sunny, but cool — in hot regions, choose a spot sheltered from the scorching afternoon sun.
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Soil: undemanding, ordinary to poor, but absolutely well-drained and rather cool. It is wary of standing moisture in winter as much as scorching dryness in summer. Do not fertilize.
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Method: cold stratification significantly improves germination. Then sow directly in place, on the surface without covering (the seeds need light), as its taproot does not tolerate transplanting well.
Care advice:
- Remove faded flowers to extend flowering. Water sparingly, but do not let the soil dry out completely.
Beneficial combinations:
- It creates lovely displays with the other poppies in the catalog, such as the wild poppy or the California poppy, spreading the flowering period across the season.
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Like other poppies, it produces no nectar but an abundance of pollen, sought by bees from early morning.
- Its early flowering, beginning in May, makes it a useful resource at the start of the season.
Uses:
- An excellent cut flower: pick the buds just before they open and cauterize the stem over a flame for a few seconds to extend its vase life.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Leave the capsules to turn brown and dry on the plant until they open through small slits at the top, then turn them upside down over a bag like a salt shaker. The Iceland poppy readily self-seeds in cool climates. See storing your seeds.
Our commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Volcanoes of Auvergne, we choose reproducible, non-hybrid varieties, tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, without any chemical treatment. Our belief: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
Bring your garden the luminous colors and delicate fragrance of Iceland poppies.
