Papaver rhoeas (Flanders Poppy)

An attractive and popular feature of the countryside, the Flanders Poppy or Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is an annual wildflower featuring showy vibrant red flowers, 3-4 in. wide (7-10 cm), atop long hairy stems and pinnately lobed, cut or toothed, hairy leaves. The delicate flowers bear four rounded, overlapping, papery petals, generally in shades of brilliant scarlet-red but also pink or white, and often present a dark basal blotch. Blooming from late spring to early summer, the flowers give way to ornamental seedpods, extending the season of interest in this plant. Add these Poppies anywhere you want a bright color splash with no maintenance!

• Growing in clumps up to 24 in. tall (60 cm) and spreading 6-12 in. (15-30 cm), Common Poppy has become the symbol of Remembrance since November 11th, 1918, as its seeds can lie dormant in the soil for over 80 years but will germinate if the soil is disturbed. During the First World War, the battlefields were often churned up into a sea of mud, and poppies bloomed in between the trench lines and no man’s lands on the Western front. The contrast between the fallen soldiers and the following flush of poppies inspired Canadian volunteer medical officer Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae to write the poem In Flanders Fields: ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row…’
• Prefers full sun and enjoys rich, well-drained soils.
• Easy to grow, long-lived, and virtually care-free, it is also deer tolerant!
• Perfect for borders and beds, cottage gardens, or meadows. Excellent choice for naturalizing. Good cut flowers too!
• Sow seeds in the ground in early spring (for early summer blooms) or early fall (for late spring blooms). Plants usually self-sow freely when growing in suitable conditions (so long as the soil surface is disturbed).
• Remove spent flowers to prolong bloom. At the end of the season, leave a few plants to die down and self-seed.
• Native from Africa to temperate and tropical Asia and Europe.
• Find where this species is invasive in the United States.