Papaver rhoeas - Organic seeds

Papaver rhoeas, better known as the red poppy or corn poppy, is an adorable annual weed in the countryside. Long persecuted in crop fields, it is making a comeback in gardens where room is made for more biodiversity. This pretty poppy puts out its crumpled scarlet corollas in summer, emerging like a beautiful surprise from neglected land, including limestone soil and degraded areas. A simple flower, ideal for easily creating an unforgettable scene. Its direct sowing is foolproof and it self-sows wherever it pleases.

The corn poppy, also called field poppy or simply poppy, is an annual plant in the Papaveraceae family. It is probably native to the eastern Mediterranean basin, including southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Growing very quickly, the plant reaches about 60 cm (24in) in height when flowering, with a width of 30 cm (12in). Fragile in appearance, like its thin, rough, and sparsely branched stems, this plant forms a clump of alternate leaves, divided into narrow and toothed lobes, whose full power is revealed when it inevitably emerges from freshly disturbed soils, from seeds that can sometimes be very old. When the stem is broken, it releases a white and milky sap. Flowering occurs from spring to summer, from May to August, depending on the climate and sowing date. The open cup-shaped flowers have four silky, slightly wrinkled petals, in deep red or scarlet, very eye-catching. The centre is equipped with numerous stamens with blue-black anthers. The flowers, pollinated by bees and other pollinating insects, give way to fruits that are green capsules containing a large number of fine seeds that will be dispersed by the wind.

At home in cottage gardens or wild and unmaintained gardens, poppies allow for the quick and effortless creation of infinitely brilliant seas of red blooms, in perfect harmony with the bright summer light. Although not very long-lasting in bouquets, poppy flowers have a crazy charm when they accompany nigellas, tall daisies, thistles, or the shifting foliage of grasses in flowerbeds. This annual plant, like cosmos, is unmatched for filling in embankments around new constructions, or occupying open spaces between other annuals or large late-flowering perennials such as sunflowers that will take over in full sun. If you still want to make bouquets with its flowers, you will need to cauterize the stems where they were cut, preventing the flowers from wilting during the day.

The poppy is the international symbol dedicated to the memory of Allied soldiers who died in combat during World War I.