We get shivers down our backs from this haunting bloom. Huge, silky flowers in burgundy-black are ravishing in the garden and vase. For cut flowers, harvest when the petals are half open and sear the end with a flame immediately after cutting. Left on the plant, After Midnight produces 2 inch rattlepods that last indefinitely in dried arrangements, or break them open to enjoy the delicious breadseeds inside. Approximately 2,500 seeds per gram. Germination code: (4)

If you're looking for a strikingly dark flower to grace your garden, look no further! This lovely poppy bred by Frank Morton and Wild Garden Seeds is gorgeous and tasty too! As Frank puts it, "Four petals in the deepest darkest midnight violet." He also notes that the pods do not open pores, so the chocolate brown seeds are retained for harvest.

Poppy seeds are not only edible, used in treats both savory and sweet, but they also produce an edible oil much prized in certain cultures for both cooking or raw use. Additionally, as the botanical name indicates (Papaver somniferum — "poppy that brings sleep") this species is probably most well-known as the source of opium, which is the narcotic latex extracted from the unripe seed pods. It is illegal in the United States to extract opium from poppy pods — and it is even more illegal to "refine" the raw product into morphine or heroine. But while opium is a controlled substance, and by the letter of the law opium poppies and poppy straw are also illegal, opium poppy seeds are widely available from seed companies in the United States — and of course they can be found in most every supermarket across the country as a food product. We have not heard of anyone growing poppies as an ornamental or food crop running into legal trouble, but we would be remiss if we didn't explain our understanding of the legal situation regarding the cultivation of this special plant, which is as follows: As long as you do not score the seed pods to extract the latex, you should be fine — but we are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice!

Poppies are easy to grow, beautiful, and delicious. With any luck, they will re-seed in your garden and you'll have them coming back for years to come. Start them early — the seedlings like it cold!

Poppy 'After Midnight' is a true showstopper, producing dramatic, nearly black blooms that add a touch of gothic elegance to any garden. These velvety petals create a striking contrast against the surrounding greenery, making them a perfect focal point in borders or containers. Their long, sturdy stems also make them ideal for fresh or dried floral arrangements.

After-Midnight Poppies are bold, dramatic and simply beautiful! They have four large over-lapping petals that are a rich, deep-burgundy colour; almost the texture of velvet. Standing 2.5 feet tall, these After-Midnight Poppies are sure to impress!

Growth Habit: Upright growth with branching stems with ruffled leaves and 3-4” flowers. Self seeding. 

Sun Requirements: Full sun 

Soil Preference: Average, moist, well-drained soil

When to Plant: Direct seed in Spring when soil can be worked 

How to Plant:  Direct sow seeds on the soil surface and lightly tamp them lightly covering with soil. Keep the seedbed moist. Seeds should germinate in 21-28 days. Thin to 6-12” apart when true leaves appear. 

When to Harvest: Harvest fresh flowers in early Summer and seed heads in late Summer.

How to Harvest:  For fresh arrangements, harvest when buds are swollen and showing colour. Sear end of stems with a flame. Cut flowers last 2-4 days. Gather the dried seed heads in late summer for decorative dried flower arrangements. Harvest the seeds for culinary uses. 

Uses: Poppy is a beautiful, though short-lived, cut flower. Seed heads are also beautiful in dried arrangements. Poppy seeds are edible, high in calcium and have many culinary uses.

Growing Poppy

Plant poppy seeds in the fall or late spring / early summer after frost. Our seeds are already stratified and are ready to plant. Poppies prefer a temperature range of between 55 and 75 degrees fahrenheit. Poppies can withstand colder temperatures, but do poorly above 80 degrees.

Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. Allow them to dry a bit for a few minutes in order to avoid water-logging the soil, as poppies do not do well in overly damp soil.

Select a sunny spot with well draining, sandy type soil. Poppies love the full sun but do not do well in temperatures above 80 degrees fahrenheit.

Scatter seeds and very gently rake to distribute. Cover with no more than 1/16" of soil. Poppies need sunlight for germination.

Mist the soil whenever it appears dry. Do not soak the soil. Germination occurs in 7-14 days (up to a month with certain varieties such as the China White strain). Germination efficiency and success is dependent on the conditions listed above.

Water sparingly with a misting bottle (do not pour water onto seedlings). Reduce the frequency of watering once seedlings reach 2-3” high as they do not like damp growing conditions. The most frequent cause of seedling failure is over-watering, which allows a fertile basis for fungal and mildew growth which often leads to seedling failure.

Do not plant in really hot weather. These seeds DO NOT like to germinate in summer-like weather. Poppies are a cold weather plant, and as such the best planting time for planting is fall-thru-late spring (depending on your location).

Poppies do not do well as transplants. If these must be transplanted, it is best to begin them in peat pods so that the entire pod can be carefully transplanted into a spot in which the roots will not be affected during transplanting.  

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