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Category: All Seeds / All Wildflower Seeds

Poppy Red Wildflower Seed

Red Poppy - Papaver Rhoeas
AKA - Corn or Flander's Poppy
Red Poppy Wildflower

Red Poppy Wildflower Seed Specifications

Approximate seeds per pound: 3,400,000
Seeding rate: 2 pounds per acre
Height: Under 2 ft.
Flower Color: Pure red
Plant Type: Annual. Lives just one year. Red poppy seed grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground.
Flower Type: Poppy
Bloom Time: Early and mid-season
Is red poppy wildflower invasive? No
Is red poppy wildflower endangered? No
Is red poppy wildflower edible? No
Is red poppy wildflower medicinal? No
Regions: All regions of North America.
Zones: 3 - 9
Soil preference: Prefers neutral to acid soil, but is adaptable. Difficult in clay.
Sun/Shade: Full sun to partial shade.
Moisture Requirements: Adaptable to even arid conditions.
Germination: Red poppy seed germinates in 10 - 30 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 60F - 70F
Sowing depth: Surface Sow

Red Poppy Wildflower Overview

The red poppy is one of the most popular wild flower seeds in all the world. Many people think that red poppy seed is the same seed that is used for making poppy seed rolls in baking although this is not true. Red poppy is also not the species used to manufacture opium and heroin. The Opium Poppy (P. somniferum) is a larger species and it is the one that produces the seeds for baking and also can be used for making illegal drugs.

Red Poppy is also not the one that produces the big flashy flowers every spring in perennial gardens. That’s Oriental Poppy (P. orientale) and its much larger blooms are basically orange, but have been hybridized into many other colors, including red. And it is not the species known as Iceland Poppy (P. nudicaule), another one that is very popular in wild flower seed gardens in shades of orange, white and pink.

Red poppy is a small-size annual species which usually grows under two feet tall; however, its blooms can reach 2 to 3 inches which is quite large for this size of a wildflower. Red poppy is also often called "Shirley Poppy", "Flanders Poppy," "American Legion Poppy" (the red poppy is the symbol of the American Legion, handed out for Memorial Day), and in England, "Corn Poppy." Red poppy wildflower is native to most of all Europe and North Africa.

The Red Poppy is a wildflower seed gardener’s favorite since it grows so easily and successfully in meadows. Since they are annuals, they grow quickly from seed each spring and drop new red poppy wildflower seed in the fall. During World War I there was constant trampling and bombing of the battlefields where red poppy fields were at. The red poppy was stomped in to the ground year after year from battlefield soldiers. When the war was over, and the red poppies were able to bloom again the beatiful red poppy meadow reappeared. Actual red poppy seed counts were taken and over 2,500 red poppy seeds per square foot were found.

The red poppy wild flower seed is so easy to grow. Almost any sunny spot is fine, and though it prefers neutral to alkaline soils, it it is quite adaptable. The only condition it won’t tolerate is very heavy clay. Like all poppies, this one develops a tap root, and if the soil is very heavy, it is almost impossible for it to drive down its tap root in time for good bloom. Therefore, plant your red poppy wildflower seed in loose soil and keep it aerated with a good product like LazyMan Liquid Soil Aerator and you red poppy display will be fantastic.