Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Poppies

marcgrovesmarcgroves Posts: 3
in The potting shed
I have several orange/yellow poppy plants, some i planted 2 yrs ago but have now seeded in other parts of the garden.
after flowering they produce a long pointed finger, upto 3"
Is this where the seeds are stored? 
How do collect the seeds from these poppies to plant where i want next year?
thanks

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - those are the seed pods. They'll gradually go brown, and the seeds are ready at that point. You can snip them off while they're still quite closed and put them into a paper bag or similar to let the seeds drop into that, or just snip and chuck them where you want them. 
    If you wait until they start opening, it can be harder to tip them into your hand - and they produce thousands of seed.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Sounds like Welsh poppies. The "finger" is the seed pod. I've never tried to harvest them, just leave them to do their own thing, but the seed will be ripe when the pod has turned brown and dry/crispy so it's a matter of catching them before the seeds are shed.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • marcgrovesmarcgroves Posts: 3
    Thanks Ladies,
    I have since found out that the correct name for these poppies is Californian Poppy.
    Ill do the paper bag trick. I assume they store well over the winter?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They keep well as long as they don't get damp.  A paper bag or envelope, labelled,  and a cupboard, or a cool, dry spot somewhere is ideal.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    The seeds will store if collected when ripe, but your poppies (Escholtzias) will not survive our winters, being Californian! Welsh poppies will though :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The Californian ones are different from the Welsh ones @marcgroves, and are usually flowering through summer, whereas the Welsh ones start in spring, so it's far more likely you'd have the seed heads of those just now. The californian ones are a funnel shape, whereas the Welsh ones are flatter and more open. 
    The Welsh ones are a Meconopsis, rather than Escholtzias, but you can check by comparing photos online etc.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
    edited July 2023
    The Californian a hardy annual in the UK  - if you plant them this autumn the will bush out well next spring. I find you get much bigger plants if they are planted in the autumn.




  • marcgrovesmarcgroves Posts: 3
    Hi All,
    thanks for the quick replies,
    yes mine are more flatter, they are .... almost... everywhere, obviously self seeding.
    my sister identified them online by taking a photo.
    its funny tho because i originally thought i had planted the red poppy!!!
    But yes i will harvest the seeds and i can plant them in the next spring.
    I also have a packet of Victoria Cross so will mix the 2, should look nice.
    Thanks once again
    Marc
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576


    These are the typical colours. There are more orangey forms of the welsh poppy and more yellowy-cream forms of californian poppy, but you can see from the pics that the "business end" of the flowers (anthers, stigma etc) are quite different, and so are the seed pods (pics on the linked web pages).

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Sign In or Register to comment.