M. 'Inverleith'
A cultivar probably of garden origin with an affinity to M. gakyidiana and many features in common with M. ‘Ascreavie’.
MG Rating: ★★★   
Introduced by: Mr. Chalmers, pre-1965. Named by: The Meconopsis Group, 2009.
Registered by: The Meconopsis Group, 2009.
Flowering: late-May to June. 2, 3 or 4 long narrow pointed flower buds arise from the false whorl of jagged bract leaves which twist towards their acute apex. The deep blue to purple-blue flowers are “windmill-shaped” with long narrow non-overlapping elliptic petals which have undulate margins.
Emerging foliage: The late emerging firm broad leaves are intensely suffused with a red-purple pigmentation and densely covered with short hairs.
Mature foliage: Elliptic to oblong-elliptic blades on long petioles. The leaf margins are deeply incised with serrate hooked teeth, the lamina base is shortly attenuate and the apex acute.
Fruit capsule: Narrowly ellipsoid with a long slender style and neat stigma. The capsule is densely covered with short spreading bristles. Sterile.
Etymology: This plant, labelled M. grandis GS600, has been grown at the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh since at least 1965 and was originally donated to the RBGE by Mr. Chalmers the head gardener of Balbirnie Gardens, Fife. It is distinctive and the plant has been given the cultivar name ‘Inverleith’ after the district in which the RBGE is located.