Celandine Poppy is a great plant for the shade garden. The foliage comes up early, forms a dense 12- to 16-inch cover, and remains until after fall frost if provided with enough moisture. It needs good rich soil with lots of organic matter to keep it looking nice and green through summer. It re-seeds well. The 2-inch diameter flowers are a welcome sight in early spring and pair well with the ephemeral Virginia Bluebells. Grows well in container gardens. The root can be used to produce a yellow dye.

Uses:  Container gardens, natural dye, showy flowers, shade garden

Bloom time: April & May

Height: 16 to 24 inches
Space: 18 inches

Sun: Light sun to full shade
Moisture: Average to moist, good organic soil

 

Seed should be sown as soon as possible after harvest. It won't germinate until the following year, but it will lose viability if stored too long. If sowing in a pot or germination tray, cover to depth of seed and keep it damp throughout the year. The following seeding rates should yield about 30 seeds per square foot: