Papaver paeoniflorum

‘Seriously Scarlet’

SCARLET PEONY POPPIES

No Tas

Papaver paeoniflorum ‘Seriously Scarlet’
SERIOUSLY SCARLET PEONY POPPIES

Syn. Papaver somniferum cv. paeoniflorum ‘Seriously Scarlet’

Papaver paeoniflorum ‘Seriously Scarlet’ has strikingly rich, deep scarlet, frilled and fluffy pom-poms.
Not permitted for Tasmania

Scarlet fluffy pom-poms flashing deep purple hearts

With the seriously rich, deep-scarlet pom poms, opening up to display dark purple hearts.
The whole colour effect is sumptuous.

Ruffled with frilly laced edges

While the petal edges are all lacy and frilled like an Elizabethan ruff.

Luxuriously silver-blue-green foliage

And those deep red blooms contrast so strikingly with silver-blue-green foliage.

Very reliable each year

Papaver paeoniflorum are very reliable self-seeding annuals.
So once you have some starter plants in the garden – you can look forward to more of the blowsy beauties as a treat each spring and early summer, with no further help from you.

Wonderfully rewarding for no work

They are wonderfully glamorous and rewarding, but with no work at all.
So the only thing left to do is to pull out the spent flower stalks after the blooming season.

Low maintenance & self reliant plants

If you would like more gorgeous Seriously Scarlet Peony Poppies for next year, just leave a few fat seed pods to dry on the stalks, and they will split and happily scatter their progeny for next season.
Or you can cut some seed pods as they split open, pop them into a brown paper bag to drop their seeds, and then scatter the seed in new places. Or share with friends.
Or even just chop down the stalks with seed pods on, and lay them in the garden as a mulch wherever you want Peony Poppies next year.

Super cut flowers

Both the fresh flowers and dried seed pods make terrific features in a florist’s vase.

Water-wise, heat & dry hardy

So plant Papaver paeoniflorum ‘Seriously Scarlet’ in Full Sun.
Where you will find it to be both water-wise and very low maintenance.
Papaver paeoniflorum, in it’s many variations, is native to areas around Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.
So they are all well adapted to places with hot and dry summers, and happy to return each year.

Easy in a wide range of soils

Plus Peony Poppies are not fussy about soil types, favouring anything from sandy, gravel, rocky to good garden loam and enriched clay based soils.
So Papaver paeoniflorum ‘Seriously Scarlet’ is very easily pleased.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Rabbits and deer steer clear of Peony Poppies because of the alkaloids contained within the plant.
So your Poppy show will always be untouched.
But do not worry – these are garden hybrids, without the high concentration of opiates found in commercial poppy crops for the pharmaceutical industry. These are perfectly polite and legal garden plants.

Pollinator attractors

Bees, butterflies and pollinators love foraging amongst the nectar rich centres, and find a bountiful supply of food.

Obligingly Quick & Easy from seed

Papaver paeoniflorum seeds give instant gardener gratification, because they are so quick & easy to grow (approx. 20 weeks from sowing the seed to full flower).
Then of course they just do it themselves each year after.

Just scatter directly in the garden

So they are perfect candidates for simply scattering seeds in the garden where you want them to grow.

Or start early indoors

But if you are starting the seeds indoors, for early flowers and highest potential germination rate (I hate sharing with birds, mice, slugs and snails) – then make sure you sow the seed in deeper pots, rather than shallow punnets.
Because Papaver paeoniflorum tend to grow long roots quickly and resent being disturbed.

Sow in deep pots or compostable jiffy pots

So sow your seeds as a scant scatter into deep pots.
Composting jiffy pots are also brilliant for poppies, as you just plant the whole pot and contents with no root disturbance at all.
Then plant the seedlings out in the garden by the pot full (don’t worry they germinate in lush abundance).

80cm High on upright strong stems x 20cm Wide of beautiful silver-blue-green foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow Papaver paoeniflorum ‘Seriouslt Scarlet’ seeds at any time in pots indoors / or sow in garden in autumn or spring-early summer.

Sow in pots indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the fine seed thinly onto the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Press the seeds gently into surface to ensure good contact, but do not cover with mix.
As these seeds germinate better with light.

Tip for sowing poppy seed thinly & evenly: Poppy seed is very fine. So in order to sow it thinly and evenly, first half fill the seed packet with fine sieved seed raising mix, and shake well.
Then the seed will be spread through the mix and it is easier to sow a small pinch in each pot or spot.

Because the seedlings resent being transplanted, it is best to use deeper tube pots, and sow a tiny pinch of scattered seed into each.
Then you can plant each pot with its little flock of Poppies straight into the garden by the pot full, without disturbing them by pricking them out and separating.

Then place your sown pots in a well-lit, warm position to germinate (not in direct sun).
You can use a temperature controlled heat mat if you have one, but it is not essential.
Because these seeds are easy to germinate, so a warm, well lit corner or window sill is fine.

Keep the pots moist but not wet in a well-lit position.

Temperatures of 18-22°C are optimum for rapid germination.

Then seed begins to germinate in 5-20 days approx.

Seed Count: 80 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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