How to Grow Poppy Flowers | Growing Poppies

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Last Updated: 19.10.2023

Want to know How to Grow Poppy Flowers in India ? Here’s a detailed guide that will give you all the information on growing poppies and maintaining them with ease!

Growing poppies is not tough when you know the right way to do it. To hel you out, here’s all the information you need on How to Grow Poppy Flowers in India.

Learn How to Grow Large Rose Flowers in India Here


What is Poppy Flower?

How to Grow Poppy Flowers

Botanical Name: Papaver somniferum

Opium poppy flower is popular for medicinal and culinary purposes for centuries. People also use its seeds for flavoring cakes and for making poppy oil.

Poppies are pretty easy to grow and also self-seed. These annual flowers come in white, pink, and red shades depending upon the cultivar.

Note: Morphine, codeine, and heroin are derived from the milky latex of unripe seed capsules of poppy therefore, its cultivation is not legal.

Warning: Cultivation of some of the varieties of opium poppy is prohibited in India, except if a license is issued to you. 


How to Grow Poppy Flowers

Plant poppy seeds directly into the garden or pot filled with a well-draining growing medium. Mist the soil evenly and make sure the seeds gets plenty of bright and indirect light. They will germinate in 2-4 weeks.


Growing Requirements of Poppy Flowers

How to Grow Poppy Flowers 2
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Sunlight

For best growth, the plant needs 4-6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Avoid growing it in a shaded spot as it will result in little or no flowers.

Watering

Water the soil deeply and thoroughly whenever topsoil feels dry to touch. Avoid overwatering the plant as it may lead to fungal growth, root rotting, and extremely leggy growth.

Soil

Any well-draining, porous, and fertile soil will do wonders. Go for any regular potting mix or loamy-sandy soil but incorporate it well with a significant amount of compost or aged manure.

Learn How to Grow Kewra Flower Plant here


Care for Poppy Flowers

Fertilizer

Poppy is not a heavy feeder but benefits from compost. You can also use a balanced fertiliser, diluted to half of its strength, once in 3-4 weeks. Do refer to the label for instructions.

Deadheading

Remove the spent flowers from the plant, as it encourages fresh blooming while preventing self seeding tendency of the plant.

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