Just when you think there's nothing new under the sun, along comes this Oriental Poppy with large, overlapping petals of softest pink (dotted with inky red near the violet-black center) that look as though they've been ironed! Most Oriental Poppies have blooms with a slightly crinkled, crepe-paper look and feel. But 'Paradiso' is as smooth as silk, offering several layers of enchanting whisper-soft pink beauty. There's simply nothing else like it!
These flowers are enormous and bowl-shaped, held a bit differently from other Oriental Poppies. They're every bit as long-lasting and exquisite as cuts for the vase, their very long, sturdy stems standing up beautifully. The differences are the sheer number of blooms you can expect on every plant, the smooth texture of those blooms, and the finely-sculpted shallow bowl shape!
'Paradiso' reaches about 26 inches high in flower, coming into bloom in late spring and early summer. If you love Oriental Poppies as much as we do, place it in middle of your Poppy border, behind dimunitive 'Little Dancing Girl' but in front of stately 'Patty's Plum.' It makes a lovely companion to reblooming 'Harlem,' and is a friend of every Rose.
Expect this Poppy to spread just 12 to 18 inches wide, with a low rosette of foliage that remains after the blooms have passed. It thrives in very well-drained soil, moist to somewhat dry, and appreciates protection from strong wings. A cutflower extraordinaire, it is also breathtaking in a large planting, the huge flowers bobbing in the breeze. Don't deny your garden the pleasure of 'Paradiso'! Zones 3-8.
