Lauren's Grape Poppy Seeds

Days to Maturity: 70 to 91

Lauren's Grape Poppy is an annual herb that blooms summer to early fall, with attractive seed pods extending the season of interest. Highly ornamental, the plant sets extraordinary plum purple flowers with deep purple spots on their crepe papery, tissue-like petals. Borne singly on long, bristly stems, the showy saucer-shaped blooms work well as cut flowers. In the garden, they attract pollinating bees.

Lauren's Grape is a Papaver somniferum cultivar, commonly called common poppy or breadseed poppy. The plant has an erect habit of hairy, toothed, gray-green leaves and a rapid growth rate. The flowers freely self-seed in suitable conditions, naturalizing and returning from year to year, performing more like a perennial than an annual. Lauren's Grape is shown to best effect when grouped or massed in borders or beds.

Extremely low maintenance, Lauren's Grape Poppy grows best in temperate climates in locations with full sun and organically rich, medium moist, well-draining soils. It tolerates drought once established but is intolerant of overly wet, poorly drained soils. Deadheading spent flowers keeps the poppy blooming and reduces unwanted self-seeding. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Growing poppies from seed is easy. Direct sow poppy seed in spring or start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date and transplant after the threat of frost has passed. These poppies germinate best when air temperature is around 55°F and soil temperature is between 60° and 65°F. In warm climates, seeds can be sown in late fall for an early spring bloom.

If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.