Plum Tickled

Two years ago Pearl gave me some oriental poppy plants for my birthday in March. The variety was Patty's Plum. I looked up the picture on the Internet after I planted my three robust roots in a likely spot, where they would get the needed amount of sunlight.

The first year I was devastated when they leafed out and looked healthy, only to die back without producing anything more than the thistly-looking leaves. Then at church I noticed that poppy plants do that. So I hoped for next spring. Perhaps I had put them in the ground too late.

Last spring they came up nice and early, but produced not a bud. Did they need more food? Now I can't remember when or what I fed them since last spring....anyway, they died back again, but this spring, what did I see but big fat buds on one of the plants! Here you can see the pod-like coverings starting to fall off.....



to reveal the papery purple petals of my first batch of Patty's Plums. I notice that in the photo they really look like red plums, but in actuality they are more violet than my camera shows.




Why did only one of the plants bloom? Will the other two make flowers next spring? Stay tuned....