Grown in gardens for their colorful flowers, Poppies belong to the genera of Papaveraceae and come in hundreds of colours, shapes and sizes.
The flowers have four to six eyeballs with petals in almost any colour. Before blooming, the petals are crumpled in the bud, and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away.
The ‘Red Soldier’ poppy is very popular, so much so is often planted en masse throughout the world. The large flowering perennial varieties reward those who plant them every year with months of bright and bold colour.
Poppies were common weeds in the early 1900s, but they are now loved by gardeners for their ease of growing and variety of colours.
If planting outdoors, these are to be planted either in partial shade or in full sun, otherwise they grow well indoors as well. These plants can pretty much grow in a variety of different soil types and can withstand dry spells as well. Make sure the soil is only slightly moist and not over-watered. These plants don’t tolerate windy conditions, and the blooms generally last only a few days.
Mainly cultivated as ornamental plants, a few species have uses in drugs and foods. Keep in mind you’re not breaking the law when growing poppies, as one of the poppy types is ‘opium’.
In some countries, including New Zealand and Australia artificial red poppies are worn to commemorate those who died in war.
