Shirley Poppy ‘Supreme’

Papaver rhoeas

Features

  • Dryable
  • Easy to grow
  • Medium producer
  • Pollinator-friendly

Description

This mesmerizing mix of white, scarlet, soft pink, and watermelon-orange look like an old-fashioned silk kimono. Single and double flowers sway above clean, mint-green serrated foliage. Each fuzzy stem shoots up at least a half dozen buds, and as soon as one flower fades, another comes up, resulting in flowers all summer long. Blooms have a delicate and ephemeral quality and are well loved by pollinators.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 24 to 30 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 55 to 65 days
Plant spacing: 9 in
Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Shirley poppies resent transplanting. Direct-sow into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Seed can be started indoors, just take care when transplanting out not to disturb the roots too much.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Individual flowers are short-lived, lasting 3 to 4 days if stem ends are seared for 7 to 10 seconds in boiling water. Seedpods can be dried and used indefinitely.

Details

Description

This mesmerizing mix of white, scarlet, soft pink, and watermelon-orange look like an old-fashioned silk kimono. Single and double flowers sway above clean, mint-green serrated foliage. Each fuzzy stem shoots up at least a half dozen buds, and as soon as one flower fades, another comes up, resulting in flowers all summer long. Blooms have a delicate and ephemeral quality and are well loved by pollinators.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 24 to 30 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 55 to 65 days
Plant spacing: 9 in
Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Shirley poppies resent transplanting. Direct-sow into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Seed can be started indoors, just take care when transplanting out not to disturb the roots too much.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Individual flowers are short-lived, lasting 3 to 4 days if stem ends are seared for 7 to 10 seconds in boiling water. Seedpods can be dried and used indefinitely.

Sources

How to Grow

Summer Mini Course

Learn how to grow, harvest & arrange beautiful cut flowers

In our upcoming three-part video series, you’ll learn a simple step to double the number of blooms your plants produce, how to cut and care for your flowers for the longest vase life, and how to make mixed bouquets quickly and efficiently.