Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Poppy Hungarian Blue
Poppy Hungarian Blue
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Poppy 'Hungarian Blue' Seeds
'Hungarian Blue' is a spectacular dual-purpose heirloom variety. In early summer, it produces tall, elegant stems topped with large, single, bowl-shaped flowers in a rich shade of violet-purple with a dark smudge at the base. They create a stunning wash of colour against their silver-blue (glaucous) foliage.
But the real magic happens after the petals fall. The seed heads swell into large, smooth, blue-grey "pepper pots." Inside, thousands of slate-blue seeds ripen. These are the classic, nutty-flavoured seeds found on bagels and in lemon drizzle cakes. Simply shake them out of the dried pods and take them straight to the kitchen!
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
This is a **Hardy Annual**.
It grows, flowers, and sets seed in one season.
The Harvest: Unlike other flowers where we tell you to deadhead, with this variety, you want the seed heads! Leave the pods on the plant until they turn brown and brittle and you can hear the seeds rattling inside like a maraca.
Top Tip: Like all poppies, it has a taproot and hates being moved. Sow it directly where it is to grow.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
These seeds are tiny, so mix them with a little sand to help scatter them evenly.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in Autumn (Sept-Oct) or Spring (March-May). Scatter seeds on the surface of raked soil. Do not cover with soil—they need light to germinate. Just press them down. Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand full sun to ripen the seeds. They thrive in average, well-drained soil. If the soil is too wet in winter, autumn-sown plants may rot, so stick to spring sowing on heavy clay.
Care While Growing:
Thinning is vital: You must thin the seedlings to about 25-30cm apart. If you leave them crowded, the plants will be small, and you won't get the large seed pods you want for baking.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Papaver somniferum |
| Common Name | Breadseed Poppy 'Hungarian Blue' |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy Annual) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 90cm (Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | 🧁 Edible Seeds (Baking) 🍂 Dried Seed Heads 🐝 Pollinators 💜 Purple Borders |
| Seed Count | Approx. 500 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The rich violet flowers of 'Hungarian Blue' need bright or textural partners:
- 🔥 Calendula 'Neon': The Colour Pop. The intense orange of 'Neon' vibrates against the violet-purple of the poppy. It's a high-energy combination that looks fantastic in a productive kitchen garden.
- ❄️ Ammi Majus (Queen Anne's Lace): The Texture Balance. The soft, white lace of Ammi provides a frothy background for the solid, bowl-shaped poppy flowers. Later in the season, the dried seed heads of both plants look incredible together.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in Autumn or Spring. Flowers in Summer. Harvest seeds in Autumn.
| 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 'Hungarian Blue' are excellent for pollinators. They produce abundant pollen which is easily accessible to bumblebees and honeybees.
