Jessie Keith
Family
Papaveraceae
Botanical Name
Papaver atlanticum
Plant Common Name
Atlas Poppy, Moroccan Poppy
General Description
The delicate, tangerine orange poppies of Atlas poppy offer airy elegance to spring and summer perennial gardens. An herbaceous perennial from Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, it is surprisingly heat and drought tolerant despite its slight, ephemeral looks. Where native, it grows in open, upland meadows.
The hairy, incised leaves of this small poppy are gray green and form rosettes in spring. Long, thin, upright stems appear in late spring to early summer topped with single, rounded buds. These open to show orange, bowl-shaped poppies with paper thin, crinkly petals. Elongated seedpods follow. If spent flower stalks are removed, more flowers will come and blooming will extend well into late summer. Mature seedpods are filled with lots of seeds that fall to the ground and often germinate in the autumn to produce blooming plants the following season.
Grow Atlas poppy in full sun and average to dry soil with good drainage. Regular soil moisture is needed for best growth and flowering. This makes a pleasing addition to dry, informal borders, alpine rockeries or shortgrass meadow plantings. Flowers cut for indoor bouquets should have their lower stem cuts seared to prolong vase life.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 4
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USDA Hardiness Zone
6 - 8
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Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
12"-24" / 30.5cm - 61.0cm
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Width
8"-12" / 20.3cm - 30.5cm
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
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Native To
Northern Africa, Morocco
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Orange
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Fruit Color
Light Green, Tan
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Gray Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Light Green, Gray Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Light Green, Gray Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
