Poppy
Poppy is a flower in the Papaveraceae family. It grows best in full sun with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 3-10. Plants reach maturity about 64–120 days after planting and sit about 6 inches apart.
Varieties
4 from High Mowing & True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity▸Planète Rouge du Jura64–86 days
Prefers poor soil; 3-4’ tall; Re-seeding annual
Tall, gorgeous poppy in shades of lavender, magenta and mauve. Large, luxuriant 4-6” blooms are mostly lavender-pink with a few bright magenta heads mixed in. Each flower center is ringed by four deep eggplant markings. Blooms contrast attractively with the waxy, gray-green, scalloped foliage. A rare Swiss variety originally developed for seed and poppy seed oil production. Papaver somniferum. 118M seeds/oz.
Growing notes: We have selected these easy-to-grow flower varieties for their individual beauty, for the beneficial insects they attract, and/or suitability for cut flower production. By offering an assortment of hues, heights, growth habits and appearances, we strive to fill your flower needs, whether you are adding color to your home garden or selling bouquets for market. Our varieties are tried-and-true standards that are sure to perform well in a wide range of growing conditions. Many of these varieties are well suited for succession plantings to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the season. Days to maturity are from seeding. M=1,000.
View on High Mowing ↗▸Black Beauty66–90 days
3-4’ tall; Tolerates poor soil; Re-seeding annual
The poppy that looks like a gorgeous peony. With a combination of double flowers and single petal blooms with dark velvety burgundy color, Black Beauty is a stunning eye-catcher unlike any poppy you’ve ever seen. And like all poppies, it’s easy to grow, needs minimal care, and will re-seed itself. Papaver somniferum. 68M seeds/oz.
Growing notes: We have selected these easy-to-grow flower varieties for their individual beauty, for the beneficial insects they attract, and/or suitability for cut flower production. By offering an assortment of hues, heights, growth habits and appearances, we strive to fill your flower needs, whether you are adding color to your home garden or selling bouquets for market. Our varieties are tried-and-true standards that are sure to perform well in a wide range of growing conditions. Many of these varieties are well suited for succession plantings to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the season. Days to maturity are from seeding. M=1,000.
View on High Mowing ↗▸Jimi's Flag Mix (Organic)90–120 days
Organic; Non-GMO; Container
120 Days to maturity. Papaver somniferum. Jimis Flag Mix Poppy Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Poppies are hands-down the most dramatic flowers in the garden, and this dazzling mix blooms crimson/purple, indigo, pink/white, and pure white. The ornamental seed heads produce an impressive quantity of tasty seeds, which you can use in your baking. Try them as show-stopping mass plantings or for planting along the street. 150 mg packet contains about 400 tiny seeds.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Power Mix90–120 days
Non-GMO; Container; Annual
Packet contains 500 mg, and sows ~25 square feet. This show-stopping mix of native and cultivated poppies will delight visiting bees, flies, and other pollinators. A well-established planting will reseed year after year, making this a great low-maintenance choice for your garden or wildflower meadow.
View on True Leaf Market ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space poppy about 6 in apart — that fits 4 plants in each 1-foot square (2×2). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your poppy planting
Add poppy to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Attract beneficial insects and protect pollinators
Protection- Routine carePlant insectary flowers and tolerate light pestsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Grow a diversity of flowering plants (including small-flowered umbels and asters) to feed predators and parasitoids, and tolerate low pest numbers so natural enemies have prey to stick around.
- Routine careNever spray open bloomsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Avoid insecticides on flowering plants and apply any needed sprays in the evening when pollinators aren't active, and favor selective products over broad-spectrum ones to spare bees and beneficials.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your poppyand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Aphids
Pestlow- CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.