This variety of Papaver Glaucum is known as The Turkish Red Poppy or Turkish Tulip Poppy. This is not to be confused with the Turkish blue poppy variety of Papaver somniferum. The Turkish Red poppy looks like a cross between the Greek Poppy and the Corn Poppy. It is a deep red color with black spots in the center. The Turkish Tulip Poppy’s name stems from the fact that this poppy derives from Anatolia, which is the region that comprises Turkey, and because its inner petals stand up in resemblance of tulip petals. This variety can tolerate a wide range of conditions. It reach up to three feet in height.
In bold red with black centers, Turkish Tulip Poppies are a fairly rare specimen that we think is worthy of being a part of any poppy collection.
Generally fall-sown in Zones 7 to 10 and spring-sown in colder zones. Overwintering annual native to Turkey. Traditional usage (TWM): analgesic. The flower is bright red with a dark basal spot. The plants are multi-headed, more so than other somniferums. The flowers tend to last 3 days before giving way to the medium sized, perfectly round pods. This is a longer floral expression than is typical of other somniferums. The flowers are dark red, not pink. This is the poppy that gained fame from “The Wizard of Oz,” beautiful enough to charm a winged monkey, potent enough to put a lion to sleep. For the wicked witch in all of us, by all means, scatter some seeds. Spread seed on fast-draining soil in fall or very early spring. For best results, plan the planting of poppies so that they germinate and grow during cool, moist weather and flower and make seed during hot, dry weather.
Bold red tulip-type blooms marked by signature black splotches
Long bloom season, mid Spring to late Summer
Life Cycle: Annual
Planting Season: Fall, Spring
Color: Red, Black
Growth Habit: Clumping, Spreading, Upright
lant Height: Up to 36 inches
Bloom Season: Spring, Summer
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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