Poppies are a harbinger of spring. Their delicate blooms are vibrant show-stoppers in the garden. There are several different kinds of poppies, many of which can be grown in any climate. Even if they aren’t perennial in your area, they usually reseed, returning in even greater numbers the following year.

California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are native to the US and are grown as reseeding annuals if they aren’t perennial in your area (USDA zone 8 to 10). These lovely, 6 -12 inches tall flowers are not only orange, but also white, yellow, red and pink, with single and double blooms.  They bloom from spring until fall, taking a break in very hot spells.

Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) are annuals that often reseed, persisting year after year. Flanders and Shirley poppies also fall into this group. Corn poppies were at one time naturalized as they often sprouted in European agricultural fields.

The Remembrance poppy is the common field poppy (Papaver rhoeas), one of the first wildflowers to colonise disturbed ground or fallow cornfields. It became identified with the battle zones of the First World War, or Flanders Fields, which were originally corn fields.

Iceland Poppies (Papaver nudicaulei) is also grown as an annual, although it can overwinter in USDA zones 2 to 8. It’s not necessarily a long-lived perennial, but it could reseed. As the name would imply, Iceland poppies thrive in cool weather and flower in spring. Their 3 inch blooms on 24 inch tall stems make wonderful cut flowers. They are not fussy, only needing average soil with good drainage. Afternoon shade can help keep them cool, prolonging the bloom period, too.

Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale) are hardy perennials in USDA zone 3 to 8. Their foliage emerges early in the spring and looks thistle-like, growing to 24 -48 inches tall by the time their large, 4 – 8 inch blooms open in late spring. After they bloom, the foliage declines, but cutting it close to the ground will restart the growing process and may even sprout new flower buds, too. Oriental poppies thrive in average to rich, well-drained soil.

Breadseed Poppies (Papaver somniferum) are annual, but also reseed. These 24 -36 inch poppies also have thistle-like foliage which stands out with its bluish-green hue. As you may have guessed, this group includes the types that produce culinary poppy seeds.

Sow poppies is in the fall, and in late winter to very early spring. They don’t require stratification (a cold moist period, aka winter) but come up earlier, grow larger, and seem to put on more flowers when sown in fall. For mild climates, fall is ideal so that they flower as early as possible in your area. Loosen the soil with a hard rake or hoe, leveling the area at the same time. Then sow the seeds and rake them in very lightly with a gentler leaf rake or just pat the seeds down with your hands. The coming snow and rain works the seeds in a little further. Then just ignore them (really!) until it is time to thin the seedlings.