Description

Description

Spectacular Breadseed Poppy Mix - A Tapestry of Color for Your Garden

Transform your summer garden with the iridescent pink, purple, and even black blooms of our Spectacular Breadseed Poppy Mix. This blend brings together seven heirloom poppy varieties, each with a striking texture and unusual color pattern, to create a breathtaking display that will captivate pollinators and admirers alike. You'll also enjoy a bonus harvest of edible seeds that add a delicate, nutty flavor to your kitchen creations. Gracing gardens and landscapes for centuries, their graceful forms and vibrant colors have inspired artists and poets, symbolizing beauty, peace, and remembrance.

Details

Let's take a closer look at the individual varieties that make our Spectacular Breadseed Poppy Mix so unique. This mix features a variety of breadseed poppies, known for their large, showy blooms and distinctive seed pods. These annuals typically reach a height of 2-4 feet, with a spread of 1-2 feet. Their fuzzy grey-green fern-like foliage provides a striking contrast to the vibrant flowers, which bloom in a range of colors from pink and purple to almost black. Each variety in the mix offers a unique flower form, from the fringed petals of 'Flemish Antique' to the pompom-like blooms of 'Lilac PomPom.' The dried seed pods are also ornamental, providing structural interest and a source of dried seed heads for crafts and interior decorating arrangements. You can also allow some seedheads to scatter and replant for next year’s blooms. The flowers are incredibly attractive to beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs.

Here are the seven heirloom poppy varieties included in this mix:

Hungarian Blue Breadseed: Known for its striking blue-grey seeds and vibrant crimson-scarlet flowers with a dark center blotch.
Flemish Antique: Produces large, double flowers in a range of romantic hues, from soft pink to deep rose.
Florist Pepperbox: A unique variety with fringed, peony-like blooms in shades of red and pink.
Emperor's Choice: Large, showy flowers in a mix of bright red, orange, and scarlet hues.
Jimi's Purple Haze: Lives up to its name with stunning deep purple flowers that are almost iridescent.
Lilac PomPom: Offers charming, fully double pompom-shaped flowers in shades of lilac and lavender.
Black Swan: A dramatic variety with deep maroon, almost black, flowers that add a touch of mystery to the garden.

History

Breadseed poppies have a rich history that spans millennia and continents. Evidence suggests their use in ancient civilizations dating back to the Neolithic period across Europe and Asia. Originating in the eastern Mediterranean, they were cultivated as early as 3,000 B.C. by the Sumerians and later adopted by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. These ancient cultures used poppies for a variety of purposes - medicinal, culinary, and ornamental. In ancient Egypt, poppies symbolized sleep and death, while in ancient Greece, they were associated with fertility and agriculture and were linked to Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Morpheus, the god of dreams. Later, the Romans used poppies for both culinary and ornamental purposes. The breadseed poppy, in particular, has a long history of culinary use, with its seeds adding flavor and texture to breads and pastries. Over time, poppies have also become symbols of remembrance and peace.

Uses

Culinary Uses

The seeds of breadseed poppies are edible and have a mild, nutty flavor. They can be sprinkled on bread, bagels, and pastries for added flavor and texture. Poppy seeds are also a delicious addition to salads and stir-fries, providing a delicate crunch.

Ornamental Uses

Imagine these vibrant poppies adding vertical interest and splashes of color to your garden beds, borders, and wildflower meadows. Their ephemeral blooms create a sense of wonder and fleeting beauty. Poppies attract beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs, contributing to a healthy garden ecosystem.

Companion Planting

Plant poppies alongside vegetables like lettuce and spinach to attract beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and lacewings, that help control pests. Alliums, such as onions and garlic, can also be planted nearby to deter pests, and flowering herbs like dill and coriander attract even more beneficial insects. While poppies can be excellent companions for many plants, it's best to avoid planting them near brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower) as these plants may inhibit each other's growth through allelopathy, the release of chemicals that can affect nearby plants.

Planting and Growing Tips

Sow seeds directly into the garden in early spring or fall. This allows the seeds to vernalize or undergo a period of cold exposure, which promotes germination.

Choose a location with full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

Scatter seeds thinly over the prepared soil and lightly rake them in.

Keep the soil moist until germination, typically within 1-2 weeks.

Thin seedlings to a spacing of 12-18 inches to allow for adequate growth.

Harvest Tips

Harvest seed pods in the morning after the dew has dried and when they have turned brown and dried and rattle inside when shaken. Continue harvesting until all the mature pods have been collected. Cut the stems and place them in a paper bag to allow the remaining seeds to dry completely for culinary use. Store the seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.