Taxonomy
A M. horridula relative from western Himalaya in Kashmir. A very desirable plant with pale blue flowers and a purple stigma. The plants flower on a tall raceme (up to 40 cms) and have unmistakable broad green/grey slightly glaucous leaves with soft spines.
Cultivation
In cultivation for many years and a plant that would tolerate dry areas. Easy from seed and even the first true seed leaves are distinctively broad. Pricked on early they grow to a large size in first year and can flower in the second year. They overwinter, like all the M. horridula. relatives with a carrot like tap root with a dormant bud at the top. They need a site that is not waterlogged in winter. About 10 years ago all my plants suddenly hybridised with M. napaulensis (hort) - the resulting seedlings were poor plants and sterile. It appears to have done the same thing in many UK gardens that year and is currently probably not in cultivation. As it is one of the truly beautiful species it would be nice to see it re-collected but it comes from a rather politically unstable part of the Himalayas. It might just hang on in Europe since it grew well in Norway.
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Map Location
View Meconopsis World latifolia in a larger map