Re: looking for poppy seeds
- Subject: Re: looking for poppy seeds
- From: E*@aol.com
- Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 17:24:26 EDT
In a message dated 10/13/02 2:34:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
mygarden@easystreet.com writes:
> long hot summer? I am searching for a source to buy Papaver somniferum
> 'Lauren's Grape'. Does anyone know where I can find it? Or better yet,
> does anyone have any to swap for a big black peony-type Papaver somniferum?
> I like to sow my poppy seeds directly into the garden in November. Its
> easy
> and foolproof.
Marilyn,
Lauren's Grape is on some of the society seed lists and once in a while in
some specialty nursery in 6-packs. I have this plant reseeding in my garden
from 6 seedlings I purchased in Mass. a few years ago. I was looking for a
while as you are. The NARGS list is not printed yet but that would be the
place to look.
I have the very ordinary pinks, pink to shrimp with white or black blotches.
The singles reseed here in huge numbers every year regardless of the rain or
heat or any differences in weather from year to year. We also save the seed
to swap or give away at meetings.
The pinks are mentioned because they are stronger plants, the seed germinates
more freely and they are never lost in the garden. Lauren's Grape, for me,
is a weaker plant that produces seed but the seed (which I let fall and care
for itself) does not germinate as freely as single pinks or what I think is
pretty close to the species.
I have put Lauren's Grape in any area where I have pulled out all other opium
poppies to keep the color pure or at least attempt it. This past summer the
Lauren's Grape plants appeared as usual in lesser numbers and not as vigorous
as common pinks.
Since they do not produce as much seed we are not collecting the seed. The
self seeded, on site plants are by far the stronger and more successful. I
am not certain they would maintain themselves if not helped along by me.
That is I clear space around them and water them if I think they are budding
at a small size. I do not give any care to any of the other poppies and that
would include the California poppies here in zone 4. Along side LG, a
common pink single or some doubles will be twice the size.
There may be another purple out there somewhere and if I found one, I would
try it as LG is very pretty but not as strong as other poppies. LG wants a
true poppy site, dry light soil, even rocky or pebbly and not too fertile.
As all the opium poppies, it attains height and vigor according to how much
water they get during the growth spurt at about the four leaf stage. If
grown very dry, they are under a foot. If it rains enough they can do three
feet. If anyone has another purple listed in some catalog it would be well
to try that, too.
Claire Peplowski
NYS z4
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