Himalayan blue poppy or Meconopsis genus of flowering plants that belongs to the family paveraceae. They are called poppies because they are alike in many ways.
This family is conformed by about 200 species of herbaceous plants, small woody trees and shrubs. Poppies are known for their beautiful flowers, however no true poppy gives blue flowers.
The species have attractive flowers and have two distinct ranges.
1. Meconopsis cambrica (Welsh Poppy), is indigenous to England, Wales, Ireland, and the fringes of Western Europe, although recent studies suggest that it does not belong in the genus.
2.The rest 40 or so (as per classification) species are found in the Himalayas. Within the Himalayan types there are hybrids which have seeds so there is ongoing debate as to which are the originals. A large proportion of species are monocarpic and as such are notoriously difficult to maintain in cultivation
Appearance.-
Meconopsis grandis is nicknamed of the Blue Poppy (is poppy-like), It is the national flower of Bhutan. It was discovered in 1922, by a British Himalayan expedition, led by legendary mountaineer George Leigh Mallory, during his failed attempt to reach the summit of the then-unconquered Mount Everest. The flowers were introduced to the Royal Horticultural Society's spring show of 1926. However, since they are difficult to grow, the species has become fabled over the decades This plant forms a rosette of hairy leaves. It grows up to 5 feet high and gets stems that can bear up to 5 flowers each. The flowers are big and come in a deep blue color. When fully grown the petals extend and you can barely notice the cup shape. Usually their stamens and pistils (the center of the flower) are yellow and gives a unique look.
Cultivation-
Himalayan varieties have the reputation for being difficult to grow from seed, but when germinating new plants, using fresh seeds will help. On the other hand, the Welsh Poppy is sometimes considered a weed, albeit a handsome one, due to its vigorous self-seeding. It comes as a surprise to many that poppies are available in shades of blue. These plants are available in a variety of strong colours, including blue, red, orange, purple, white and yellow depending on species.
It grows in partial shade because they require cool summer temperatures. They need a moist, humus rich, well drained soil. The acidity level of the soil is also important for it will have its influence on the color of the flower. They are very easy to grow form seed although they grow very slowly. These plants survive harsh winters if they have the conditions mentioned and they will grow as a perennial plant, so it is recommended to separate them every 2 or 3 years. If it doesn’t it is very likely that it will become monocarpic and only live a year. If you live in a drier area you’ll need to water it daily. This plant will bloom in early and mid summer.
This plant sets a lot of seeds after it blooms and they are used in many baking goods for their sweet, nutty taste. It is amazing that with the amount of seeds this plant gives, now days they are very hard to find.
The Himalayan blue poppy is very important because it is used to get hybrids along with its cousin M. Grandis or Tibetan blue poppy. The difference between the Himalayan blue poppy and the Tibetan blue poppy lies in the flowers. The Tibetan flowers are larger and the cup shape is very noticeable. Also the shade of blue varies a little.
The botanical name for Tibetan blue poppy's name is Meconopsis Betonicifolia. It is native of southeastern Tibet and was discovered in 1886.
Although there are many blue poppies the Himalayan blue poppy is probably the best known of all because of it’s beautiful flowers and the fact that they are easier to grow than other blue poppies. They are among the top flowers in the world and for that reason they are very expensive. It is said that this plant has a strong Saturn influence.
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Hale Books published the novel "Dreams of the Blue Poppy" by English author Angela Locke. The book's central theme concerns a sickly child who dreams of finding the fabled plant and ends up on a journey of both personal and botanical discovery to the Indian Himalaya. In 2009, horticulturalist and author Bill Terry published his "gardening memoir", Blue Heaven, about the plant. In June 2007
renukakkar, first published on 3.12.2012
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