Poppy, Black Swan
Fringed double flowers in deep wine magenta on tall grey-green stems. Flowers in midsummer, then leaves seed pods that dry well.
Growing
- annual
- Full sun
- Fall, or early spring
- Not covered
- 14 to 21 days at 18°C (65°F)
- Sprinkle thinly
- 91 to 122 cm (36 to 48 in)
- 46 cm (18 in)
- Benefits from support
- 80 to 90 days
A breadseed poppy grown for its flowers. Every petal is fringed, and the colour sits between wine and deep magenta depending on the light. Mine come out lighter than the catalogue photos. It flowers for a short time in midsummer, then leaves grey-green seed pods. All seven of my poppies grew in one bed, and poppies cross, so this seed came off a Black Swan plant rather than an isolated patch. Most will look like the parent and a few will take after the others. For the full range of colours, choose the mixed packet. Poppy seed is tiny, so a packet is one level 1/16 teaspoon pinch spoon.
Sowing and starting
Sow where you want it to grow. Poppies don't like being moved, so skip the seed trays. Loosen the top of the soil, scatter the seed and don't cover it. I sprinkle mine on top and let the rain settle it in. Water gently if there's no rain. I sow in both fall and early spring, and both work. It comes up in 14 to 21 days at around 18°C (65°F). Some sources say it needs a cold spell first, but growers who have tested it say dry stored seed comes up fine without one.
The seed is almost dust. Mix a pinch with dry sand before you scatter it, so it spreads evenly and you can see where it lands. Keep the surface damp until the seedlings show, then thin to about 30 cm (12 in) apart. Crowded poppies make short stems and small flowers.
Care
Full sun and ordinary soil. Don't overwater once it's growing. It grows 91 to 122 cm (36 to 48 in) tall and flowers 80 to 90 days from sowing. Watch the seedlings for slugs.
Saving the seed
Let the pods dry on the plant until they rattle and the little windows under the top open. Then tip the seed into a bowl. It's the same seed you bake with.
Worth knowing
- Poppies self sow with real enthusiasm. Leave a couple of pods to shatter and you will have poppies in that bed for years, which is either a gift or a nuisance depending on how tidy you like things.