Papaver rhoeas Mother of Pearl flower seeds
Commonly referred to as the corn poppy or field poppy, this variety, Papaver rhoeas, boasts delicate, silk-like blossoms that are powerful attractants for bees and other pollinators. Each morning, as the new poppy flowers unfurl, you can expect a bustling scene of insects drawn to the blooms to collect fresh pollen. It’s as if they are in line for the hottest new restaurant in town! The Mother of Pearl mix is perfect for those having difficulty deciding whether to grow white, red, or grey poppies. If you are running out of precious garden space, this mix is also for you!

Planting information to grow this poppy from seed:
Plant type: hardy annual
Height: flowers grow 60 to 80 centimeters tall
Position: Will do great in full sun or partial shade
Sowing time: Autumn and spring
Bloom time: starts 55-65 days after sowing
Spacing: 20-25 centimeters between each plant
Germination: Takes 7-14 days in temperatures of 10-20°C
Pinching: no not necessary
Flowers: June to August, depending on the weather and moment of sowing
Pollinator-friendly: Yes, the open flowers are visited by bees
Recommended seed tray or pot: any small to medium-sized cell seed tray or pot will work
Level of difficulty: Not difficult at all!
The package contains: 1000 – 1200 seeds

How do I grow Papaver rhoeas from seed?
Papavers don’t like to be transplanted. Sow them in deeper seed trays and transplant them carefully when the plants are still young and not rootbound. You can also directly sow the seeds in rows and then thin them out after a few weeks. Plants flower relatively fast after sowing therefore you can sow them twice in a season. For example once around March, and the second sowing around the end of May. Surface sow the seeds and cover them lightly with fine sand or vermiculite. The seedlings from late summer or early autumn sown seeds overwinter and flower when summer starts. We recommend growing a few plants in late summer/early autumn. Combine them with a few Icelandic poppies (Papaver nudicaule) or California poppies (Eschscholzia californica).

The plants self-seed very easily but due to cross-pollination, the self-sown seeds are not the same as the parent plants. Plants tend to go back to the wild variety with red petals.

The Individual flowers of this papaver variety are short-lived, often lasting 3-4 days. For the longest vase life, you can sear the ends for 7-10 seconds in boiling water. Do this directly after picking to prevent wilting. Pick flowers when the buds are about to open or just started to open. As soon as the flowers are pollinated the petals drop. The flowers can be used for arrangements that don’t have to last a week.