Little Patty's Plum Oriental Poppy

Little Patty’s Plum is the compact form of ‘Patty’s Plum’, with lilac-plum flowers held above gray-blue foliage. It brings the Oriental poppy’s late-spring and early-summer color to smaller borders, where its reduced mature size makes it easier to place than its larger namesake. ## Garden Use This selection forms a low clump and usually goes dormant by late summer. Plant it near later-growing perennials such as ornamental grasses or summer-flowering border plants to cover the space after the poppy rests. The [Perennials.com profile](https://www.perennials.com/plants/papaver-orientale-little-pattys-plum.html) distinguishes it as the compact form of ‘Patty’s Plum’ and reports a mature size of about 10–14 inches tall by 10–12 inches wide, with USDA Zones 2–9. ## Growing Conditions Provide full sun and ordinary garden soil with good drainage. Oriental poppies prefer a steady, moderate supply of moisture while growing; reduce watering after the foliage dies back. The flowers can be cut just as the buds begin to open. ## Maintenance Allow the foliage to yellow and die back after bloom rather than cutting it while green. Divide established clumps in late summer if they become crowded.