Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) - Bridal Silk

Plant information to grow poppies from seed

Plant type: hardy annual flower
Height: flowers grow 60 centimeters tall
Position: full sun or partial sun
Planting time: start seeds in spring and/or autumn
Bloom time: starts 75-80 days after sowing in spring
Spacing: 20-25 centimeters between each plant
Germination: 7 - 14 days at 16-20°C lightly cover seeds with soil
Pinching/pruning: not needed
Flowers: early June to first frost, depending on the weather and moment of sowing
Pollinator-friendly: yes
Recommended seed tray or pot: start in the tiny seeds in small cells (60 or 77) and plant out after 3 to 4 weeks or direct sow seeds
The package contains: +- 1000 seeds

How to Grow Papaver rhoeas Bridal Silk from Seed

Growing Papaver rhoeas Bridal Silk from seed requires careful handling to ensure successful blooms. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Papavers don't like to be transplanted, so sow them in small cell seed trays and transplant them carefully when the plants are still young and not root-bound.

Alternatively, you can direct sow the seeds in rows and thin them out after a few weeks. Because these plants flower relatively quickly after sowing, you can sow them twice in a season: once around March and a second time at the end of May.

Surface sow the seeds and cover them lightly with fine sand or vermiculite. For an early summer display, you can also sow seeds in late summer or early autumn. These seedlings will overwinter and flower when summer starts. We highly recommend growing a few plants in late summer/early autumn and combining them with Icelandic poppies (Papaver nudicaule) or California poppies (Eschscholzia californica).

Papaver rhoeas Bridal Silk self-seeds very easily, but due to cross-pollination, the self-sown seeds are not the same as the parent plants and often revert to the wild red-petaled variety. To maintain the Bridal Silk variety, it's best to remove seed pods or plants after flowering and sow new seeds each season.

Individual flowers of this papaver variety are short-lived, often lasting only 3-4 days. For the longest vase life, sear the ends of the stems for 7-10 seconds in boiling water immediately after picking to prevent wilting. Pick flowers when the buds are about to open or just starting to open. Once pollinated, the petals drop quickly.

These flowers are ideal for arrangements that don't need to last a week, such as one-day events or for personal use. Enjoy the delicate beauty of Papaver rhoeas Bridal Silk in your garden and floral displays.