Papaver Orientale 'Princess Louise'

Poppy, Oriental 'princess Louise'

‘Princess Louise,’ often listed as ‘Princess Victoria Louise’ or ‘Prinzessin Victoria Louise,’ is an herbaceous perennial Oriental poppy with large, soft salmon-pink to apricot-pink, crepe-paper-like flowers. Each bloom has a dramatic dark purple to black blotch at the base of the petals, surrounding a bold central seed pod and dark stamens. The flowers rise above hairy, deeply cut, gray-green foliage in late spring to early summer. After bloom, the foliage commonly goes summer dormant, so it is best planted with later-emerging perennials that can fill the gap.

Type: Herbaceous perennial
Mature Size: 15–24 in. wide × 24–36 in. tall
USDA Zones: 3a–7b; may struggle in hot, humid climates
Form: Upright clump with tall flowering stems
Light: Full sun
Soil / Water: Well-drained average to sandy soil; average water, drought tolerant once established; avoid wet soil, especially during summer dormancy
Bloom Time / Length: Late spring to early summer; commonly May–June, with a short but very showy bloom period of about 1–2 weeks
Wildlife: Attracts bees and other pollinating insects; generally deer and rabbit resistant

Features & Landscape Uses:
Excellent for perennial borders, cottage gardens, cutting gardens, rock gardens, pollinator gardens, and bold spring color displays. The soft salmon-pink flowers pair well with purple salvia, catmint, iris, alliums, baptisia, baby’s breath, Shasta daisy, Russian sage, and ornamental grasses that help cover the poppy’s summer-dormant space.

Care:
Plant in full sun with sharp drainage. Oriental poppies have deep taproots and dislike transplanting once established. Remove spent flowers if seed is not wanted, but leave decorative seed pods for dried arrangements if desired. Allow foliage to yellow naturally before cutting it back. Avoid overwatering during summer dormancy.

Plant type

Perennial

Height

24-36''

Width

18-24"

Hardiness zones

3–7

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Moderate

Bloom time

Early Summer, Late Spring

Flower color

Salmon

Leaf color

SeaGreen

Soil

Average, Well Drained

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Mass Planting

Shape

Clump, Upright

Drought tolerant

No