SEATTLE — Iceland poppies by Ciscoe Morris
Iceland poppies (Papaver nudicaule) are the perfect plants to add much needed color and cheer in your spring garden. These plants that thrive in arctic regions produce attractive feathery foliage and fuzzy flower stems. The 2 to 4 inch wide brightly colored flowers have four papery thin, ruffled petals and come in pink, red, orange, yellow and white.
The flowers open in March or April and the display often lasts for at least two months. The flowers are toxic, so don't let your dog eat them, but the good news is that deer and bunnies know they are poison and won't eat them. Although Iceland poppies are considered short lived perennials, in the Pacific Northwest they usually don't come back after our rainy winters. Don't let that bother you. They produce gazillions of seeds, and if you sow the seed in mid-fall, chances are you'll have lots of them blooming away to cheer up your garden again next spring.
To make sure you get a good display this spring, plant your Icelandic poppies in a sunny location, in well drained soil. Water if the soil appears to be dry, but don't water from above. Big or forceful drops of water can harm the delicate flowers, so water at ground level. Work organic flower food into the soil when you plant, and make sure to deadhead by removing spent flowers to encourage the plants to keep pumping out the colorful flowers.
After the flowering season has ended usually in late May or early June, save seeds from the plants by picking the pods when they start to go from green to brown and the crowns begin to open. Dry the pods upside down in a paper bag in a dark, cool space for a few weeks to allow the seeds to fall from the pods into the bag. Store the seeds in the bag in a cool dry place, and then sprinkle them onto the soil surface in a sunny flower bed in mid-fall. the seeds will stay dormant throughout the winter. When spring begins to warm the soil, the teeny tiny seeds will begin to germinate and make an appearance as soon as it is warm enough. Sprinkle organic flower food over the newly germinating seedlings, and get ready for another spectacular spring display.
By the way, unlike most other types of poppies, Iceland poppies are long lasting in cut flower displays. Just be sure to scorch the end of the cut stem by dipping it into boiling water before putting it in a vase, and they'll look great and last for four days to a week.
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.