Papaver argemone: 20 seeds of the prickly poppy
The prickly poppy is an annual in the poppy family, native to North Africa, Europe and western Asia. Up close it is easy to tell apart from the common red poppy. Its petals are narrower and scarlet with a dark blotch at the base, the stamens carry violet filaments and pale blue anthers, and the leaves are cut deeply into narrow segments covered in stiff hairs. The stems feel rough as well. The clearest marker sits in the fruit: an oblong, ribbed seed capsule of up to about two centimetres, studded all over with firm upright bristles. That capsule is what gave the plant its English name.
Plants reach roughly 15 to 50 centimetres and flower in late spring and summer, with seed ripening towards the end of the season. This is an arable species by origin, growing along field edges and on disturbed ground, most often on light sandy, gravelly or chalky soils. Across much of Europe it has become scarcer as arable land is sprayed more intensively, which is exactly why it appeals to anyone sowing a corner of the garden with wild cornfield flowers. Bees, flies and beetles handle pollination, and the flower is self fertile on top of that.
How to sow Papaver argemone
- Pick a sunny spot with loose, free draining soil; wet clay suits the plant poorly and it will not grow in shade.
- Rake the surface open, since poppies germinate best on a bare, disturbed seedbed.
- Scatter the seed broadcast and press it down lightly rather than burying it deep.
- Keep the ground slightly moist for the first few weeks until the seedlings are up.
- Thin the young plants so they are not crowding each other, and leave spent flowers standing if you want the plant to self sow.
These seeds are intended for cultivation and study. Store them dry, dark and out of reach of children.
More exotic seeds at Avalon
The same category holds Papaver rhoeas, Papaver dubium, Nelumbo nucifera, Hyoscyamus niger and Nicotiana tabacum, among others. Every order leaves our warehouse discreetly packed.
