Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Poppy Black Peony
Poppy Black Peony
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Poppy 'Black Peony' Seeds
If you love the look of peonies but don't want to wait years for them to establish, 'Black Peony' is the answer. This spectacular variety produces massive, fully double, ruffled blooms in a shade of purple so deep it looks like black velvet. Packed with petals, they look incredibly luxurious, standing tall on sturdy, silver-green stems.
The contrast between the dark, moody flowers and the glaucous (blue-grey) lettuce-like foliage is stunning. But the show doesn't end when the petals drop. 'Black Peony' produces some of the largest, most beautiful seed heads of any poppy—fat, blue-grey "pepper pots" that are essential for dried flower arrangements and winter decoration.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Poppy 'Black Peony' is a Hardy Annual.
It completes its life cycle in one season.
The Self-Seeder: This plant is a generous guest. If you leave the seed heads to dry on the plant, the little vents under the "lid" will open, and the wind will scatter thousands of seeds, ensuring you have a fresh crop of dark beauty popping up next year for free.
Top Tip: Like all poppies, it has a long taproot and hates being transplanted. Always sow it directly where you want it to grow.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Poppies are fuss-free, but they need light to wake up.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in Autumn (Sept-Oct) for early, large plants, or Spring (March-May). Scatter the tiny seeds on the surface of raked soil. Do not cover them with soil—they need light to germinate. Just press them down gently. Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand full sun and well-drained soil. They love sandy, gritty, or chalky ground. If your soil is heavy clay, mix in some grit.
Care While Growing:
Thinning is crucial: You will get hundreds of seedlings. You must thin them out to about 30cm apart. If you leave them crowded, you will get tiny, stunted plants. Be brave and pull them out to give the others room to grow!
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Papaver somniferum (Paeoniflorum) |
| Common Name | Poppy 'Black Peony' |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy Annual) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 90cm (Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | 🍂 Dried Seed Heads 🐝 Bees & Pollinators ⚫ Gothic Themes 🏡 Cottage Gardens |
| Seed Count | Approx. 500 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The heavy, dark heads of 'Black Peony' need light or contrasting foliage to make them pop:
- ❄️ Ammi Majus (Queen Anne's Lace): The Monochrome Mix. The flat, white lacy heads of Ammi act as a frothy petticoat for the heavy, dark poppy heads. It creates a sophisticated Black & White designer look.
- 🦐 Cerinthe (Honeywort): The Silver Harmony. Cerinthe shares the same silver-blue foliage tones as the poppy. Planting them together creates a cool, metallic base that makes the purple flowers of both plants glow.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow directly outdoors in autumn or spring. Flowers mid-summer.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | ||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | |||||||||
| Harvest Seeds | 🍂 | 🍂 | 🍂 |
⚠️ Toxicity Note
While the seeds are edible (and delicious!), the rest of the poppy plant (leaves and stems) is toxic and should not be eaten. Keep pets away from the green foliage.
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
The single open flowers of 'Black Peony' are excellent for pollinators when they fully open. They produce abundant pollen which is easily accessible to bumblebees and honeybees.
