Black Swan

SKU: FL1224
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. Read More

Exposure Full-sun to partial shade

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Attracts Pollinators
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West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.

Black Swan

Product Details

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.

Annual.

Quick Facts:

    • Papaver somniferum seeds
    • 10cm (4") wide flowers
    • Deer resistant
    • Annual

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All About Black Swan

Latin

Latin
Papaver nudicaule (perennial), P. rhoeas & P. somniferum (both annual)
Family: Papaveraceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Zone: P. nudicaule is hardy to Zone 3

Timing

Timing
Start perennial poppies outdoors in early spring, when some chance of frost is still a possibility. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones 3-7. In Zones 8-10, the best bet is to direct sow in the fall.

Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. If absolutely necessary, use peat or coir pots, and maintain a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds will sprout in 20-30 days.

Starting

Starting
Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm (6″) apart.

Growing

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.

For the largest heads on Papaver somniferum, sow seeds in the fall or early winter. Thin plants to allow them some space, and keep the area weeded as plants grow larger. Grow this variety in full sun in well-drained, but ordinary garden soil. If spring and summer are cool and damp, or plants are over-crowded, expect smaller seed heads.

How to Grow Poppies

Step 1

Timing

Start perennial poppies outdoors in early spring, when some chance of frost is still a possibility. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones 3-7. In Zones 8-10, the best bet is to direct sow in the fall.

Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. If absolutely necessary, use peat or coir pots, and maintain a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds will sprout in 20-30 days.

Step 2

Starting

Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm (6″) apart.

Step 3

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.

For the largest heads on Papaver somniferum: Sow seeds in the fall or early winter. Thin plants to allow them some space, and keep the area weeded as plants grow larger. Grow this variety in full sun in well-drained, but ordinary garden soil. If spring and summer are cool and damp, or plants are over-crowded, expect smaller seed heads.

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