Giant Poppies
Papaver somniferuma • Open-Pollinated
Lilac Pom Poms and Double Purple Peony-type. Gorgeous, huge blooms in a variety of dramatic colors and shapes. Collect the whimsical seedpods to save seeds for baking or to plant next year.
JOY MAX SCALE ✦✦✦✦✧
✦ Mix of 3”–5” single, semi-double, and frilly peonylike blossoms on swan-neck stems Includes “bread seed” poppies, that are grown for their culinary seeds which are easy to collect in cool, rattling pods.
✦ Dramatic as a cut flower
✦ Beloved by bees
✦ Can handle some shade
✦ Frost and drought hardy
✧ It may take up to 30 days for the seeds to sprout, and you need to keep the surface area moist until then for best gemination.
✧ For a few weeks, it’s all stems and foliage and you can get impatient waiting for the payoff. It is worth the wait.
✧ The leaves can become quite ragged after storms & time. Plant at the back of the border to conceal the bottom of the plants.
Basic Growing Information
Seeds should be direct sown as poppies do not transplant well. Scatter seeds and rake in lightly. When 2” tall, thin to 1 every 12”. In climates with mild winters, sow seeds in the fall for spring blooms. Keep seeds and seedlings moist but not water-logged until established, and reduce watering. While poppies are drought tolerant in general, an occasional soaking can boost blooming.
PLANT HEIGHT: 24-60” PLANT WIDTH: 12” SEED SPACING: 12” SEED DEPTH: Surface IDEAL TEMP: 75º Germination: 10-30 days DAYS TO MATURITY: 60-90 SOIL: Poor to average, well-drained LIGHT: Full Sun / Part shade
Tips for Growing Poppies
Plant in the back of the border as blooms come late in spring & plants grow to 4-6.’ Seeds can be used for baking or sown next year.
Prepping the area by weeding beforehand will allow your poppies to break through. If you don’t weed at all, you may get no poppies.
Though the seeds are edible, all other parts of the poppy plant are poisonous.
Don’t over-fertilize or they won’t bloom, they’ll just grow foliage.
Water poppies during dry spells, but don’t overdo it.
Deadhead faded poppy flowers often to encourage more to bloom. Protect from intense cold.
Seed Saving
To harvest seed pods, cut when the pods turn light brown and dry out for 1-2 weeks before poking a hole to pour them out and store in a jar for up to two years. Use for baking or save to plant next year.