Meconopsis 'Marit'
(White-flowered Himalayan Poppy)

Family - Papaveraceae
Category - Perennial
Discovered By - Raised by Marit Espejord, Introduced into cultivation by Finn Haugli, director of the Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden in Norway
Year of Introduction - 1998
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer
Hardiness - H5
Height - 1m
Width - 45cm
Location - The Stream Area

Description: A herbaceous Perennial with a clump-forming habit. Mid-green leaves are lanceolate, oblong or Elliptic in shape with coarsely-toothed margins. The foliage and flower buds are covered in bristles that are copper-coloured with white tips. Oval buds open to large, nodding to outward-facing, creamy-white flowers that are bowl to saucer-shaped. At the centre of each Bloom is a showy cluster of stamens with white Anthers and a pale green stigma. The flowers are held in small clusters on upright stems and are produced in early summer. The flowers are followed by long, oval seed Capsules that contain no viable seed, but are covered in dense, copper-coloured bristles with white tips.

Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Flower:

Bristly, oval buds open to large, nodding to outward-facing, creamy-white flowers that are bowl to saucer-shaped. At the centre of each bloom is a cluster of stamens with golden anthers and a proud, pale green stigma. The flowers are held in clusters and are produced in June. The flowers are followed by long, oval seed capsules that bear no viable seed but covered in dense, copper-coloured bristles with white tips.

Flower colour: White

Flower shape: Bowl to saucer-shaped flowers in clusters

Flowering time: June

Foliage:

Mid-green leaves are lanceolate, oblong or Elliptic in shape with Dentate margins. The foliage is densely covered in copper-coloured bristles with white tips. The leaves are held in basal rosettes and in opposite pairs on the flowering stems. The leaves of M. 'Marit' are among the first of the Meconopsis to emerge in spring.

Foliage Senescence: Deciduous

Foliage Shape: Lanceolate, oblong, elliptic

Propagation:

Division.

Cultivation:

Best in partial shade in moist, acidic soil with good drainage. This Meconopsis prefers a position that stays relatively cool during the summer months.