About 45 species of annuals, perennials and mono-carps almost entirely from the Himalaya and western China, one species only in Europe. They may be evergreen or deciduous with simple or dissected leaves in rosettes and on the flowering stems. The poppy-like flowers, usually with four (rarely to six or more petals) may be solitary, in small clusters or long racemes. Meconopsis is very closely allied to Papaver but differs in having a single-celled ovary that tapers to a short-stalked stigma.
Although this genus has great appeal for the alpine gardener, not all species are really at home on the rock garden and several are too large. In general they do not make good pot plants and are largely unsuitable for the alpine house. Moist but well drained fertile soil heavily enriched with leafmould, well rotted compost, peat or a peat substitute and a partially shaded site are required for success. Lime is tolerated but the blue species are only true blue in a neutral to acid rooting medium. Propagation by seed, ideally in late winter under glass at about 18 °C. A seed compost with 30% sifted dried sphagnum moss is recommended. (In some areas this moss is in short supply and it is illegal to remove it from most wild sites). Plants with multiple crowns or several rhizomes can be divided in late winter or early spring.
a, M. bella; b, M. cambrica; c, M. grandis;
a, M. delavayi; b, M. punicea; c, M. quintuplinervia;