Poppy Plant
All About the Poppy Plant
The poppy plant refers to a number of lovely flowering plants. They usually have one flower for each stem. The poppy type includes some wildflower species with attractive flowers, and also some that are grown in gardens. The garden-planted varieties are either small plants that are usually grown in alpine or rock gardens, and larger plants used in an herbaceous border arrangement with other flowers.
Poppies bloom in a variety of colors – blue, red, orange, yellow, pink and white. Some of them have darker markings in the center. The types that have been cultivated the longest have other colors, that range from lovely pastel shades to dark solid colors. The flower's center has stamens that are shaped in a whorl, and these are surrounded by bowl- or cup-shaped collections of four or six petals.
Poppies have other uses besides growing in beds. Birds love their seeds very much, so put some in your bird feeder for your local birds to enjoy. Poppy seeds are also used in oil, and in recipes for cookies and breads and muffins.
Poppies are also used as a narcotic. The poppy plant is used to make Opium, Morphine and Codeine.
Poppies have been used for a long time as a symbol of death and of sleep: death because of some of their flowers having a blood red color, and sleep because opium is extracted from them. Poppies are often laid on tombstones as a symbol of eternal sleep. This symbolism was also used in the Wizard of Oz, where everyone who walked in the poppy fields fell asleep forever.
Poppies are very popular in the world of gardening. They are easy to grow, and they come in a variety of colors, in both perennial and annual types. They used to be called the cornfield weed, but they are actually not weeds, of course. The poppy plant was originally grown in Asia, India, China, Europe and North America. In many non-garden areas, they are a wildflower quite commonly seen by roadsides.
Poppy plants grow from one to two feet high. They have flowers that last a long time, in just about any color you can think of. The annual varieties bloom in sixty-five to ninety days. The perennials typically take a bit longer to bloom.
Flowerbeds are very attractive when planted with poppies among your other plants. They can be used as a border plant, or in rock gardens. You can also grow the poppy plant in pots on your deck or patio, or in planters on your windowsills.
Poppy plants prefer partial shade to full sun. They grow in nearly any soil type, and they are tolerant of occasional dry spells. Space your poppies eight to eighteen inches apart, to allow them room to expand their root systems. Then relax and enjoy your easy-to-care-for poppies.