| Common Name | Poppy |
| Genus | Papaver |
| Species | nudicale |
| Family | Papaveraceae |
| Life Cycle | Short lived perennial/ hardy annual. |
| Tray Size | 125 |
| Plug Care | Transplant on arrival or within 2-3 weeks. |
| Netting / Staking | No |
| Temperature Range | 28-70F |
| Spacing | Hummingbird 9-12". Champagne Bubbles 6" |
| Soil Preference | Well drained soil of general fertility. |
| Day Length | Neutral |
| Pinching | No |
| When to Plant | Fall or winter. Establish under cool conditions. Plant in late fall/early winter for spring bloom. They usually start blooming just as tulips are finishing, and continue until summer heat shuts them down. |
| Harvesting | Pick daily at "color crack" stage when color can first be seen on the bud. |
| Post Harvest Care | Much is written about searing or burning the ends of poppies to seal in their milky sap. Alternatively, you can simply pick them and store dry in a closed cardboard box in your cooler. The stem will naturally seal itself. When you are ready to use the stems, simply stand them up in clean water in the cooler. They will start to open by the following morning. You can store dry flowers for up to a week with little decline in vase life. |
| Diseases / Insects | Botrytis and other fungal issues. Maintain space around each plant and good airflow |
| Bailey's Notes | Hummingbird (aka Colibri) is a tetraploid version of the Iceland poppy. They grow taller and wider than the natural species and have very large flowers. A handful may be somewhat malformed. These types are best grown under cover as their buds can take on water and dew resulting in botrytis and rotting in the bud before they open. Champagne bubbles is smaller but more productive and easier to flower. Iceland poppies hate heat (they are from Iceland after all). |
| Resources |