American Legion Poppy, Flanders Field Poppy, Red Corn Poppy Seeds
American Legion Poppy Seeds (Papaver rhoeas) also known as Flanders Field Poppy, Red Corn Poppy, Remembrance Poppies. Organic, Non-GMO Seeds
Found in Dutch gardens and considered a regional variant of the wild corn poppy, the deep red 'American Legion' poppy is a flaming red chalice-shaped flower marked inside the cup with a white cross under an ivory crown. Pair with lacy white Orlaya and spires of annual clary sage for bright summer gardens.
Lifecycle: Annual
Cold Hardy Annual
Mature Size: 18 inches high by 6-12 inches wide
Sowing Instructions
Depth: Surface sow; requires light to germinate
Sprout Time: 5-14 days
Seed To Bloom: 14 weeks
Starting Indoors: Sow in pots 6-8 weeks before last frost, cover lightly with vermiculite or a humidity dome and keep at 65-70°F until germination, then at 50-60°F. Be very gentle when transplanting, as poppies do not like to be disturbed.
Starting Outdoors: Recommended. Direct sow 4 weeks before last spring frost or in late autumn (autumn only in zones 8+) Mix seed with fine sand and scatter thinly over prepared soil to avoid overcrowded seedlings.
Poppies are the obsession of honeybees that unfailingly crowd around the flowers as they are freed from their corset of sepals, to be the first to sample their golden crown of pollen. Add to vegetable plots, meadows, and borders, where their early flowering fills gaps in perennial bloom times with luminous flowers. Self-sows.
These plants prefer evenly moist soil, but can tolerate drought. About an inch of water per week.
Soil pH: lightly acidic to neutral—if soil is acidic, add some lime before planting.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
How should American Legion Poppy seeds be sown?
These seeds require light to trigger germination, meaning they must be surface sown. Gently scatter the seeds over your prepared soil and lightly rake them in. Do not cover them with more than 1/16" of soil.
When is the best time to plant Flanders Field Poppy seeds?
Poppies thrive as cold-weather plants. Plant them in the late autumn (ideal for zones 8+) or early spring. They prefer temperatures between 55°F and 75°F and will fail to germinate if planted in hot summer weather.
Can Red Corn Poppies be started indoors and transplanted?
Direct sowing outdoors is highly recommended because poppies do not like their roots disturbed. If you must start indoors, use biodegradable peat pods 6-8 weeks before the final frost so you can transplant the entire pod into the ground seamlessly.
What is the most common cause of poppy seedling failure?
Over-watering is the top cause of failure. Poppies prefer well-draining, sandy soils and hate damp conditions. Use a fine misting bottle rather than a heavy stream, and scale back watering once the seedlings hit 2-3 inches in height to prevent mildew and fungal rot.