West Coast Seeds
West Coast Seeds (Black Swan)
West Coast Seeds (Black Swan)
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Papaver somniferum. The flowers of Black Swan poppy are almost peony-like, with finely cut, deeply frilled, dark red petals, and fully double form. The strong, upright stems grow as tall as 120cm (48"), but the flowers themselves are just incredible. They are followed by large, curious seed pods full of edible poppy seeds for baking. The striking flowers are magnets for bees, but deer tend to give them a complete pass. Direct sow, and expect some self sowing to occur.
| Latin Name |
Papaver nudicaule (perennial), P. rhoeas & P. somniferum (both annual) |
| Difficulty |
Easy |
| Exposure |
Full sun to partial shade |
| Germination |
20-30 days |
| Starting |
Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm (6″) apart. |
| Growing |
Poppies are easy to grow and the self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy. Simply pull up unwanted plants (an easy task) before they bloom, or better yet, let them tell you where they want to grow. They will thrive for years at a time in surprising spots, like a crack in the driveway. Other times, they simply won’t take, no matter how much you try. Keep them moderately well watered in hot, dry weather, and do not fertilize. |
