Papaver poppies, Poppies, cute spring flowers

Papaver poppy, also simply called poppy, is a very cute flower that blooms in spring or summer. Easy to sow, it is a typical wildflower.

Papaver poppy facts

Name – Papaver
Family – Papaveraceae
Type – perennial, annual

Height – 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm)
Exposure – full sun
Soil – ordinary or rather rich

Flowering – May to September.

Planting papaver poppy

Growing perennial papaver poppy

For perennial poppies, plant in spring in garden soil amended with soil mix, and keep about 8 inches (20 cm) between two neighboring plants.

If you wish to sow perennial papaver, the ideal season is summer.

• Broadcast sow in a mix of soil mix and sand, or in special seedling soil mix.
• Cover the seeds with soil mix and sprinkle water in a fine mist.
• Keep substrate a little moist.
• Thin to about 4 inches (10 cm) as soon as the first leaves appear.
• Transplant to their final growing bed when the plants are well formed, generally at the beginning of fall.

Propagating poppies

• Propagate perennial papaver poppies through crown division
• Seeds and broadcast sowing is ideal for annual poppy.

Growing annual papaver poppy

To sow annual papaver poppies, proceed to sow directly in the plot from April to June and then water regularly but not too much.

• In mild climates, you can even start sowing as early as February-March, but provide a cold frame.
• When the first sprouts appear, thin to about 4 inches (10 cm) and transfer to the ground in spring.

Caring for papaver poppy

Papaver poppy is a very easy plant to care for, it requires practically no care at all.

In summer, after the blooming, it is recommended to cut back the papaver to only an inch (a couple centimeters) or so from the ground, this will lead it to produce beautiful leaves.

As for diseases and parasites, papaver poppy is very resilient and only very few enemies are known…

However, if ever you uncover a few squadrons of aphids, follow the link to read how to get rid of aphids.

Learn more about papaver poppies

One of the species of papaver is the common poppy. It is typical in that it hosts tall solitary flowers, often very colorful and unfolding 4 thin red wrinkled petals.

Other notable species are the oriental poppy, a perennial that blooms year after year, and the Papaver somniferum, an annual that must be sown in spring every year. This last poppy is the one from which the opium drug is derived, and medical morphine is extracted from it, too.

Poppies are often found in the wild, in fields and pastures, and in gardens they tend to make a garden look more natural.

Papaver poppy bears large, tall solitary flowers, and a nice thinly drawn leafage.

The poppy is worn to commemorate war heroes and soldiers who have died at battle.