Popular Seed Choices

Two kinds of opium poppy seeds stand out, the Oriental or ‘Blue Poppy Seed’ and the Indian White. As you can see, these opium poppy seeds are a long way from the almost black seeds you get in the grocery store. Either of the seeds below will be fine for planting.

Oriental Opium Poppy Seed

Out Of Stock

Indian White Opium Poppy Seed

There are several hundred seeds in a gram of opium poppy seeds. To start growing you only need a few grams of  seeds. There are several varieties of opium poppy seeds. You will need to determine what works best in your area. The different varieties of opium poppy seeds just give different traits like pod size and flower color. As long as you get papaver somniferum you will be fine. Opium poppy seeds can be stored for 2-5 years.

The conditions that poppies prefer to be grown in, are areas with at least 6 hours of sunlight they prefer a median loam type of soil with a sand base. If they are planted in soil containing clay it needs to be able to drain properly and still retain moisture.

The soil itself can be acidic, and the plant will still thrive in different temperatures, this plant can endure temperatures as low as 23°. Which makes them perfect for many gardeners in Europe, Canada and the United States.

The poppies can be planted from seed, however transplanting seedlings often does not work needed grow slowly or will die. For the gardener planting poppies it needs to have good drainage and retain moisture, planting the seeds must be done after the last frost. Planting the seeds before the last frost can damage the seeds and cause them not to grow.

When the weather exceeds 80° the blooms from the poppy will begin to fade and if they are not kept cool with water and that would end their blooms for the season.

Since the poppy is a type of wild flower it can tolerate moderate amounts of water as long as the soil can remain moist and over watering can cause the poppy to die. In many areas gardeners do not need to water the poppy, unless it is a drought season and then watering should be moderate.

What is Poppy Seed Oil Used For?

Poppy seed oil or Oleum papaveris and it would be botanically known is extracted from the seeds of the garden or opium poppy and is a high quality oil during the first pressing of the seeds. There is also a second pressing that obtains a less quality oil that is not food grade oil, but it is also useful oil.

Countries such as France, Germany and India use the poppy oil for salads and other foods as it is comparable with sunflower oil and is not as apt to turn rancid as olive oil. In India and other countries there is a poppy cake made by many of the poor.

For artists the advantage of using this oil is that it has a greater drying power then raw linseed oil and is favored by artists that use oil paints, because it does not leave a yellow tint like linseed oil would. It does have a slower drying time than linseed oil, which dries in 3 to 5 days, so it is not used in the first layer of painting but rather in the top most coats of the painting, taking 5 to 7 days to dry.

This type of oil is also used in soaps, because after dehydrogenation it is a source of linoleic acid, it is also used in making liniments, and as a solvent of iodine in iodised oil. It is also used in varnish making and for burning oil lamps.

Dried Poppy Pod

It is relatively easy to grow opium poppies. They are a hardy plant that is fairly resistant to insects and mold. They can be grown in almost any climate. The opium poppy itself is a beautiful plant which the reason the poppy pods are often used in flower arrangements. The poppy pods you get in a hobby store are likely coated with a lacquer and are of course not suitable for any purpose other than flower arranging.