Plume poppy

Questions about plume poppy

Does plume poppy need sun or shade?

Plume poppy grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does plume poppy grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does plume poppy flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early July to mid August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should plume poppy be planted?

3½ ft (100 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4 ft (120 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 7 ft (220 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many plume poppy plants do I need?

At 3½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 3 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one, with clear ground around it: a feature plant is seen as an object, and a group of them is a thicket.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is plume poppy poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. The orange sap irritates skin, and all parts are poisonous if eaten.

Is there a pet-safe plant like plume poppy?

These come closest to doing what plume poppy does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Hollow Joe-Pye weed: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late July to mid September, pink, not cream.
• Hardy hibiscus: the same job in a bed; 2½ ft shorter, 4 in narrower.
• Sunflower 'Lemon Queen': the same job in a bed; 4 in narrower, flowers early August to late September.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Will plume poppy spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads aggressively by underground runners, and its roots are hard to remove. Plant it only where it is confined.

What flowers after plume poppy?

Plume poppy is over by mid August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Switchgrass 'Cloud Nine': from early August to early October, 7 ft tall (a recorded partner).
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does plume poppy look like in winter?

Plume poppy dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.