Gro 'n Sell
Poppy Hummingbird
These are the BIG Iceland poppies, bred by Biancheri in Italy and known by a number of trade names. Gro-n-Sell has been producing them in a mix for years, and thanks to your demand, they are now available in straight colors as well. 18-24" stems aren't uncommon. Pick when the bud is just starting to show color, and sear the ends for immediate use in arrangements.
* Please note that the MIX contains all shades including bright yellows and oranges while the PASTEL MIX contains only the more muted shades. We cannot guarantee the distribution of individual colors within mixes. You may get a few bright flowers in your pastel mix, and this will not be grounds for a refund. Poppies are highly variable and even within straight color trays please expect some percentage of variation.
If you are picking and storing, pick at color crack, and simply store in a closed box in your cooler around 38 degrees. Hydrate by simply placing the stems in water, in the cooler, overnight. Don't re-cut, they can drink through the outside of the stems. On our farm we gathered all week, stored dry in a box, bunch and place in water on Friday afternoon, and they are opening by Saturday morning's market. Best grown in a tunnel to keep water off of the buds, but many succeed in the field as well.
These poppies have been know to overwinter in unheated tunnels as cold as zone 3, and in the field in most growing zones, provided soils do not remain wet.
Plant 9-12" apart.
Order 9 or more weeks in advance of desired ship date. Ship in weeks 40-18 only.
grown in a 128 cell tray, billed as 125
Learn More: Poppy Growing Guide
About Tray Sizes
210 and 125 cell trays are full-sized trays, and three of these will fit in a shipping box.
50 cell trays are half-sized trays (unless otherwise noted) and two of these are the equivelent of one full sized tray. Six of these will fit in a shipping box.
18 and 32 cell trays are full sized trays specifically for our vernalized perennials. These have their own set of shipping rules (find details HERE) and cannot be combined with items grown in 210, 125, or 50 cell trays.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Poppy |
| Genus | Papaver |
| Species | nudicale |
| Family |
Papaveraceae
|
| Life Cycle |
Short lived perennial/ hardy annual.
|
| Format | Plugs |
| 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.
|
| 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).
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| Resources |