M. 'Dalemain' (George Sherriff Group)
A robust strong growing leafy cultivar which bulks up well. It is probably of garden origin with an affinity to M. gakyidiana.
MG Rating: ★★★★   Awards: AGM (2013)
Named by: The Meconopsis Group, 2005. Registered by: The Meconopsis Group, 2005.
Flowering: Late May-June. Between 2 and 4 blue, mauve-blue or purple-blue flowers arise from the false whorl, often accompanied with additional flowers from the uppermost leaf axils. The lateral facing flowers are saucer to shallow bowl-shaped with petals which are initially deeply overlapping. Their petals are rounded to broadly ovate with a slightly undulated margin.
Emerging foliage: Broad leaves suffused with a pronounced red-purple pigmentation and covered with short straw-coloured hairs.
Mature foliage: Broadly elliptic to oblanceolate on long petioles, the leaf margins incised with many serrate-dentate teeth. Leaf base attenuate, apex acute.
Fruit capsule: Narrowly ellipsoid, covered with pale straw-coloured bristles. Long style and a prominent stigma. Sterile.
Etymology: Named after Dalemain Garden, Cumbria where it is grown in large beds. It is very similar to M. ‘Huntfield’ and was in fact introduced to Dalemain from Huntfield House by Mrs. Sylvia McCosh who owned both properties. Both cultivars were originally sourced from Jack Drake’s Inshriach Nursery.