192 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS papavee 



species) is really only a variety of the 

 Oriental Poppy. It grows, perhaps, a 

 little taUer, and has hairy deeply cut 

 leaves with oblong serrated and deeply 

 incised lobes, and scarlet flowers. There 

 seem to be a good many forms in culti- 

 vation, varying between orientale and 

 bracteatum, and it is probable that they 

 are hybrids between these two. Other 

 forms are concolor, the flowers of which 

 have no blotch at the base, and trium- 

 phans, more dwarf and free-flowering. 



Vulture Sc. as above. Easily raised 

 from seeds sown as soon as ripe or in 

 spring ; or by dividing the plants in early 

 autumn or spring. Plants may also be 

 raised by cutting the fleshy roots into 

 pieces an inch or two long, coverLag them 

 with rich sandy soU, and placing under a 

 handlight or in a greenhouse. This work 

 is best done when the flowers have passed. 



P. pavoninum [Peacock Poppy). — A 

 native of Central Asia, with rather small 

 leaves, twice pinnately cut. Flowers in 

 summer, scarlet with a black crescent- 

 shaped blotch at the base of each petal. 



Cultwre <tc. as above. Eaised from 

 seeds annually. 



P. persicum (Persian Poppy). — A 

 Persian species about 18 in. high, with 

 pinnately cut leaves, having almost 

 undivided often aristate segments, and 

 brick-red flowers which appear in June. 



Culture dc. as above, p. 190. 



P. pilosum. — A handsome perennial 

 1-2 ft. high, with stem-clasping oval- 

 oblong pale green leaves having toothed 

 lobes, and hairy on both surfaces. The 

 stems are also hairy and produce in 

 summer many pale lurid scarlet or deep 

 orange flowers, 2 in. across, with a white 

 blotch at the base of each petal. Native 

 of S.B. Europe. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds and division. 



P. Rhoeas (Common Corn Poppy ; Bed 

 Weed). — A native of British cornfields 

 and waste places, varying a good deal in 

 height. The common form has branched 

 hairy stems with once or twice pinnately 

 out leaves, the ascending lobes of which 

 have a bristle at the tip. The bright 

 scarlet flowers, 3-4 in. across, appear from 

 -Tune to August, and have petals in 

 unequal pairs. 



The variety umbroaum is a native of 

 the Caucasus, about 2 ft. high, with 

 dazzling scarlet flowers, having a jet black 



blotch at the base of each petal, which is 

 sometimes edged with grey. 



Many beautiful double-flowered forms 

 of this Poppy are now in cultivation, 

 and are known as Carnation, Picotee, 

 and Kanunoulus-flowered, representing 

 almost every shade of colour except blue 

 and yellow. The French and G-erman 

 Poppies are also forms of this species. 

 ' Shirley Poppies ' are beautiful single- 

 flowered variations of the common Corn 

 Poppy, having the most exquisite and 

 diverse shades — chiefly self-coloured, and 

 without any blotch at the base of the 

 petals. 



Cultv/re and Propagation. — ^AU the 

 varieties of the Common Com Poppy 

 may be sown out of doors about the 

 end of March in the spots where they 

 are intended to bloom. The seedlings 

 should be thinned out to about 6-8 in. 

 apart. To make this operation less tedious 

 the seeds in the first place should be 

 sown as thinly as possible. 



P. rupifragum atlanticum.^A pretty 

 Poppy 1-2 ft. high, native of Spain and 

 Morocco, with hairy stems and bright 

 green more or less lance-shaped leaves 

 6-8 in. long, and pinnately divided. The 

 orange, red, or scarlet flowers appear in 

 April and May, and are 2-3 in. across, 

 erect when open but drooping like other 

 species when in bud. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



P. setigerum (Bristly Poppy). — A 

 native of Europe and Asia 1-2 ft. high, 

 and closely related to the Opium Poppy, 

 but differs in having the teeth of the 

 hairy leaves ending in a stiff bristle. The 

 violet flowers appear in summer, but 

 there are now many forms and vari- 

 ous shades in gardens. 



Culture Sc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds and division. 



P. somniferum (Opium Poppy). — A 

 beautiful annual Poppy 3-4 ft. high, widely 

 distributed over Europe, Asia, India, W. 

 Africa, and naturalised in many parts of 

 the British Isles. The broad, oblong, lobed 

 and waved leaves, with a glaucous hue, 

 are heart-shaped at the base and clasp the 

 smooth stems. Flowers in summer, white, 

 rose, lilac, often striped, and usually with 

 a dark blotch at the base of the often 

 fringed petals. 



The Pffiony-flowered Poppies have 

 been obtained by selection from this spe- 

 cies, as has also the ' Danebrog ' Poppy. 



