Also know by the common names opium poppy, and peony flowered poppy, the peony poppies (Papaver paeoniflorum) have large and colorful blooms with frilled petals. They bloom throughout the spring, summer and into fall. They are easy to grow from seeds and easy to care for once established. In the winter they will die back and seemingly pop out of nowhere when the weather begins to warm in the spring. They are considered a hardy plant in USDA zones 2 to 8, but can do well in the warmer climates with some extra care.

 

Choose an area the gets full sun to plant your poppy peony seeds. Plant the seeds in the late spring. Peony poppies start to grow after the last winter frost.

 

Rake the area where you want to plant the seeds. The top layer of the soil needs to be turned up. If the dirt is compacted or nutrient poor, add a one-inch layer of topsoil or gardening soil.

 

Sprinkle the peony poppy seeds over the area of loosened top soil. Use a premixed packet of poppy peony seeds, or choose your own colors by combining several seed packets, such as deep-purple "Giant Double Black," pink-toned "Flemish Antique" and "White Cloud" varieties, and scattering them throughout the area.

 

Press the top of the seeds with your hand gently into the soil. Don't cover the seeds with dirt or mulch. The seeds need sunlight to germinate according to Swallowtail Garden Seeds. If there’s too much shade, you may not get any seedlings.

 

Water regularly throughout the summer, especially if you live in the western states where it rarely rains in the summer. They are not drought tolerant and will have stunted growth or die if not watered almost daily. Since they die back and go dormant in the winter, no watering is needed during the winter months.

 

Pull out plants at the end of summer that have grown too close together. They should be spaced at no closer than 12 inches. If left to grow close together, they will get too crowded by the next year.