Papaver laciniatum

‘Hungarian Blue’

HUNGARIAN BLUE POPPIES

Syn. P. somniferum var. laciniatum

‘Hungarian Blue’

No Tas

Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’
HUNGARIAN BLUE POPPIES

Syn. P. somniferum var. laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’
Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ is as close to blue as Giant Poppies can get.
Not permitted for entry to Tasmania

As close to blue as Giant Poppies can get

‘Hungarian Blue’ flowers are large bowls of silken petals, of the most enchanting violet-blue.
All with a showy black blotch in the centre – spectacular colour.
They are tall and stately, with very large flowers.

Breathtakingly lovely show in summer

So it is breathtakingly lovely when they bloom in spring-early summer.
The rich violet-blue bowls of flowers show strikingly well against silvery-blue-grey foliage too.
And the silken petals flutter in the breeze.

Reliable treats each year

Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ are very reliable self-seeding annuals.
So you can look forward to them as a stunning show every year.
Although they are members of the Opium Poppy family, they possess very low levels of opioid compounds, and are purely decorative, rather than farmed for medicinal poppies.
They are not illegal to grow in the garden.

Wonderfully rewarding for no work

‘Hungarian Blue’ Poppies are wonderfully rewarding and spectacular plants, for no work at all.
So the only labour is to pull out the spent flower stalks after the blooming season.

Reliable self-seeders

But if you would like more gorgeous ‘Hungarian Blue’ for next year – just leave a few fat seed pods to dry on the stalks, and they will happily scatter their progeny for next season.
Or you can cut some seed pods as they open, and pop them into a brown paper bag to drop their seeds. And then you can scatter the seed in new places, or share with friends.
Some low tech gardeners even just pull out the spent stalks with pods intact, and lay them on the ground as a mulch, wherever they want ‘Hungarian Blue’ flowers next year.

Treats for florists

Both the fresh flowers and the dried seed pods make super cut flowers for florist’s vases.

Water-wise & heat tolerant

Plant Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ in Full Sun.
Poppies are very water-wise, and well adapted to happily return each year in places with hot and dry summers.
After all they probably originated from eastern Mediterranean areas such as Turkey, and northern Africa, but have happily adapted to many areas – wherever the summers are hot and dry.

Rabbits & deer leave them alone

Rabbits and deer do not like the bitter taste of Hungarian Blue Poppies, and seem to know they are not good to eat.

Satisfyingly Quick & Easy from seed

Plants of Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ are very satisfyingly quick and easy to grow from seed.
And they are perfect candidates for just scattering seeds in the garden where you want them to grow.

Tip for raising maximum number of poppies

However if you don’t like sharing with the scratching birds and marauding mice.
Then start the seeds indoors, for early flowers and highest rate of germination (and not sharing). And make sure you sow the seeds in small but deeper pots / cell trays, rather than a punnet.
And just place a very small scatter of seeds in each pot – because Poppies grow long tap roots and resent being disturbed when transplanting.
So sow your seeds sparingly into individual little deep pots / cells, and then plant the seedlings out in the garden by the whole pot full rather than disturbing and trying to separate them (don’t worry they germinate in lush abundance).

Hardy reliable self sowing annual

70cm High with large flower bowls  x 30cm Wide of silver-blue-grey foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suits beginners & gardening with kids

Sow Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ seeds at any time in punnets indoors, when suitable temperatures can be provided (18-22°C)
OR
Sow directly in the garden in autumn or spring.

Sow indoors for quick plants & early flowers: First sow the Poppy seeds thinly onto the surface of good quality seed raising mix.

Tip for sowing Poppy seeds easily: Poppy seeds are very fine. So pop a pinch or two of fine sieved seed raising mix into the seed bag first, shake well, and then sow the entire contents of the bag.
This will ensure you sow the seeds thinly and more evenly for better germination.

Then press the seeds gently into surface of the mix, but do not cover with mix.
Because Papaver laciniatum ‘Hungarian Blue’ seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the sown small pots by standing them in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Place the moist, sown pots in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sunlight).
Temperatures of 18-22°C are optimum for rapid germination.

Continue to keep consistently moist by misting from a spray water-bottle.
Covering the pots with a clear lid or plastic bag can also help to maintain consistent moisture and reduce watering.
(Remove cover as soon as germination commences).

Seeds germinates in 7-21 days approx.

Seed Count: 50 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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