Opium Poppy Bowling Ball - Papaver somniferum seeds

Papaver somniferum 'Bowling Ball' is an annual poppy initially selected for its particularly large fruits, which are highly decorative in dried bouquets. They follow attractive, large, single, crumpled flowers. Each flower is composed of petals in shades of deep pink and pink-red, surrounding a wide white centre. These corollas bloom in early summer, at the end of tall, sturdy stems emerging from abundant, wavy, cut, slightly greyish-green foliage. This variety should be sown directly in the ground in spring or early autumn in mild regions. It will easily self-sow in light soil, in full sun.

The annual poppy 'Bowling Ball' is a horticultural variety classified in the group of Papaver somniferum var. nigrum, sometimes called P. somniferum Giganteum. All poppies belong to the Papaveraceae family. Wild opium poppy can be found in Asian mountains, but also in Europe, on limestone soils frequented by field poppies. This plant, probably native to the regions between the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, has given rise to a multitude of ornamental cultivated varieties for a long time. Its life cycle is annual: the plant germinates, blooms, produces seeds, and dies within less than a year.

'Bowling Ball' has glaucous to soft grey-green foliage, magnificently wavy, composed of beautiful lobed and elliptical leaves with notched edges. Tall stems emerge from this 35 to 45 cm wide foliage clump in June-July, reaching a minimum height of 1.20 m, and even 1.60 m for autumn sowings in rich soils. They bear remarkable solitary flowers. Reaching 18 to 25 cm in diameter, they are single, spherical, formed by four large, pink-red petals with a white base and a greyish mauve rim. On the outside, they have a beautiful violet spot. The flower's light-coloured centre is very visible and has numerous stamens. The flowering, attractive to pollinating insects, gives way to a characteristic fruit that can measure 6 to 10 cm in diameter, filled with small black seeds. This very ornamental, round fruit takes on slate blue reflections when drying, changing with the light, due to the crystallized wax film that protects it. Opium poppies have a taproot that does not tolerate transplantation well, which is why it is preferable to sow them in place. They are hardy annual plants, and early autumn sowings can withstand not too harsh winters. In this case, flowering is earlier in spring.

Comfortable in sophisticated or romantic gardens, cottage gardens and neglected gardens, opium poppies quickly and effortlessly create waves of infinitely delicate flowers, enchanting in their vibrant, dark, or pastel colours, dancing on the foam of their foliage. Simply scatter the seeds on well-prepared soil among other plants, at the edge or in flower beds. While they are not very long-lasting in bouquets, the flowers of 'Bowling Ball' poppy have a charm of their own when planted en masse with large daisies, among the moving foliage of grasses, or with landscape shrub roses. This annual plant, like cosmos, has no equivalent for filling in empty spaces between annuals or late-flowering perennials such as giant asters that take over in full sun.

Once the flowering is exhausted, there are the seed heads, superb in dried bouquets, as well as the poppy straw that emerges among the grasses, a majestic vestige of summer.