By Wally42
United Kingdom 
I have a Papaver Orientali which is 3 years old but has never flowered in spite of healthy plump flower heads forming on stems. A fracture appears about 2 inches below flower bud base and across the stem followed by bleeding. As the fracture widens the stem is unable to support the flower bud which then drops off. Please can you advise me what I can do.
22 May, 2010
Answers
Personally I would dig it up and burn it or throw it out. There is a chance - given such treatment - that you would have made root cuttings which might avoid the same trouble in future if you can cope with the heart ache. V upsetting though.
22 May, 2010
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Hi Wally,have you tried opening up the stem and flower bud to see if there are any larvae of pests in them ? It is quite possibly something getting at the sap through the stem.
22 May, 2010