| My sister in California has Oriental poppies that are blooming. But there are brown spots around the buds (green part) that haven't opened quite yet? Should she worry about this? She lives near the N. Calif. coast. |
| Actually, what you describe is perfectly normal and will not affect the flowers when they open. It is called pre-flower latex and is simply a sign that some of the fluids within the plant escaped and then dried due to exposure to fresh air. The sepals will curl down beneath the petals when the flowers open. |
