Is Oriental Poppy deer resistant?
Papaver orientale
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 3–7LightFull sunMature height24–36 inBloomSpring and Summer
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Oriental Poppy
Enormous crepe-paper flowers in early summer, then the whole plant yellows and disappears by midsummer, leaving a bare patch. Plan for that: site it behind something that fills out late, such as an aster or a hardy geranium. The deep taproot means it resents being moved.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Oriental Poppy
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
Where Oriental Poppy grows
Hardy across most of these 48 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
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Every list Oriental Poppy belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Oriental Poppy
- Is Oriental Poppy deer resistant?
- Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Oriental Poppy grow in?
- Oriental Poppy is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Oriental Poppy grow in shade?
- No. Oriental Poppy wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Oriental Poppy get?
- Mature height is roughly 24–36 in. Growth rate is moderate.
- Is Oriental Poppy toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Oriental Poppy as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.