Poppies (Papaver spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) are one of the most beloved and desirable garden flowers, but they aren’t as easy to please as many sources make them out to be. While there are those who will claim that they are the easiest flowers to grow since they often self-seed around the garden with abandon, poppies—especially the annual species—remain challenging to grow for many gardeners. Below I’ll go over some common annual and perennial poppy species, some recommended varieties of each, and how to make them thrive in your garden.
Papaver somniferum and cvs., annual
Breadseed poppy is so named because the seeds are edible and were traditionally used in baking. It can be one of the showiest plants in the late spring garden, but it is notoriously fickle to grow well. With many varieties to choose from, there are forms that range from large, single blooms that come in purple, pink, or white tones, to those that are so packed with petals that they look like mop heads.
Papaver rhoeas, annual
The other popular annual poppy, perhaps even prettier than breadseed poppy, is the common poppy, also called corn poppy or Flanders poppy. The straight species is orange-red, but there are also many fruity-colored selections. Many of these cultivars were generally made a century ago in Shirley, England, and while they remain beloved in many northern gardens, they are somewhat uncommon today, as they are not commercially viable as a mass-market bedding plant due to their specific requirements (mostly their sensitive needs regarding cool temperatures and avoiding root disturbance).
Both of these species can be grown successfully in home gardens, but success comes with attention to their preferred conditions and how dedicated you are to
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