Poppy Flower: Meaning, Symbolism, and How to Grow It
Have you ever wondered if the poppy seeds on the bagel you’re eating come from the same poppy flower that produces opium? They actually do, but they have been scrubbed of the milky substance which forms illegal narcotics and therefore are perfectly safe to eat. Don’t be alarmed: The poppy flowers growing in your backyard are a different species! There are 120 varieties of poppies, only one of which you cannot grow in the US. Learn all about poppy flower history, nutrition, folklore, and tips for growing. Read on.
Poppy Flower: Quick Reference
- What it symbolizes: Remembrance, eternal sleep, and resurrection, all in one bloom
- Where it comes from: Cultivated since 2700 BC in the Mediterranean Basin
- Day of remembrance: Worn on Memorial Day (May 30) in the United States and Remembrance Day (November 11) in the United Kingdom and Canada
- Grows best in: Full sun and well-drained soil, hardy across USDA Zones 3 to 9 depending on the variety
- How to plant: Surface-sow the tiny seeds in cool weather and do not press them deep
- One caution: Do not grow or harvest breadseed (opium) poppies; choose an ornamental species instead
The poppy flower has been planted, painted, and pinned to lapels for more than 4,700 years. Its papery blooms have graced flowerbeds and battlefields alike, and yes, the same plant family tied to the opium trade also gives us the poppy seeds on your morning bagel, scrubbed clean of any milky residue and perfectly safe to eat. With more than one hundred varieties in nearly every color, the poppy flower is equal parts garden showpiece, ancient symbol, and kitchen staple. Here is what it means, where its folklore comes from, and how to grow it yourself.
Poppy Flower History
The recorded history of the poppy flower dates back to 2700 BC, when it was grown and cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin for its medicinal and recreational use, primarily as a mild sedative. The plant is now found all over the world, and its pain-relieving properties remain the base source from which morphine and codeine are extracted, as the Encyclopaedia Britannica notes in its account of the genus.
That long medical history is exactly why the flower carries such mixed feelings. The everlasting-sleep scene in The Wizard of Oz leans on it, and the bloom can still get a bad rap for its hand in the opium trade. Yet the vast majority of garden poppies are simply beautiful, drought-tough flowers with no place in that story at all.
Poppy Flower Mythology
Poppies played a significant role in ancient mythology and medicine. They have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back thousands of years and are believed to have been linked to the Egyptian veneration of gods, appearing in their jewelry and furniture.
The ancient Greeks regarded poppies as a source of fertility, health, and strength. Greek athletes consumed a mixture of poppy seeds, honey, and wine to improve performance. In Greek mythology, the poppy flower is associated with Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams. The drug morphine, derived from poppies, is named after him.
The Greek gods are said to have given Demeter, goddess of agriculture and harvest, poppies to help her sleep. She was grieving because her daughter, Persephone, had been abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, and poppies sprang up from Demeter’s footsteps. The flower also turned up at the cave of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Nyx, the goddess of night, and her brother Hypnos are both tied to the poppy as well.
Predating Greek mythology, the Assyrians called the poppy the “daughter of the fields” for its bond with agriculture and its knack for nourishing the soil and grains. To them it was a symbol of life, fertility, and death all at once.
What the Poppy Flower Means by Color
In the old tradition known as floriography, or the language of flowers, color changes the message a poppy sends. The meanings below come from long-standing remembrance customs and folk symbolism, not from a single rulebook, so treat them as the story behind the bloom rather than a fixed code.
| Poppy Color | Traditional Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Remembrance and the sacrifice of fallen soldiers |
| White | Peace, consolation, and remembrance of the dead |
| Purple | Remembrance of the animals lost in war |
| Golden / orange | Success and good fortune; the golden California poppy is the state flower of California |
Poppy Flower Memorial Day Symbolism
Beyond eternal sleep, the poppy has come to stand for remembrance and hope. Today, poppies carry a message of peace with an underlying sentiment of a soldier’s sacrifice, since they tend to grow on war-torn fields. Following the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century, and again after World War I, red poppies began appearing across the battlefields. They were often the first vegetation to regrow on the ruined ground, which was rich in lime from the rubble and gave the seeds ideal conditions. War veteran John McCrae’s famous poem, “In Flanders Fields,” mentions the poppies. You can read the poem and hear it in the video below.
Today, people wear the red poppy every Remembrance and Armistice Day (November 11) in the United Kingdom and Canada, and on Memorial Day (May 30) in the United States, to honor the fallen. The species behind this custom is known as the “red corn” or “common” poppy. If you want to mark the day in your own garden, the Best Days Calendar can help you time a planting or a cutting around the occasion.
Growing Tips: How to Grow the Poppy Flower
The poppy flower is an annual, or a short-lived perennial, but its prolific self-seeding gives it the staying power of a wildflower. The crepe-like blooms look fragile, yet they shrug off drought and grow happily in poor soil. For most gardeners, that makes the poppy one of the easiest flowers to keep coming back year after year.
Growing poppies is an easy task for any amateur gardener. You can start them indoors or sow them directly into garden or planter soil. Starting poppies indoors calls for cool temperatures and light to germinate. Sow the seeds in moist seed-starting soil, press them gently onto the surface, and mist lightly to keep the soil damp.
Once sprouted, thin to one seedling per cell. When the plants have a few leaves, harden them off and carefully dig and replant them one foot apart to prevent overcrowding, taking care with the fragile roots. To avoid losing the tiny seeds while planting, mix them with sand and use a large-holed salt shaker to sprinkle a thin layer over your planting area. You can also use nature’s built-in shaker by saving the pods and shaking the seeds straight into the garden.
Poppy flowers love full sun and well-drained soil, and they need little water once settled in. Too much water produces tall, spindly growth. Deadheading spent blooms, by snipping off the faded flowers, encourages a fresh round of color. For help timing your sowing to the season and the Moon, our Gardening by the Moon calendar lists the best days for above-ground flowers like the poppy.
Where Poppies Grow Best Across the US and Canada
Poppies are forgiving, but the type you plant should match your climate. Most popular kinds do well across a wide band of the United States and southern Canada when sown at the right time. Use the table as a starting point, then lean on your local frost dates for the exact week.
| Poppy Type | Hardiness and Region | When to Sow |
|---|---|---|
| Common / corn poppy (annual) | USDA Zones 3 to 9; most of the US and southern Canada | Surface-sow in early spring, or in fall in mild winters |
| Oriental poppy (perennial) | USDA Zones 3 to 7; cooler North and mountain regions | Sow or set out in early spring or fall |
| California poppy (annual) | USDA Zones 6 to 10; warmer South and West | Sow in late fall or very early spring |
Because poppies resent having their roots disturbed, direct sowing usually beats transplanting. A light scattering of seed over cool, bare soil, pressed in but not buried, is all most varieties ask for. Pair them with low, spreading neighbors using our companion planting guide so the bare ground around young poppies stays shaded and weed-free.
When to Cut Poppies for Bouquets
Poppies lend a beautiful hand in flower arrangements and should be cut at the cracked bud stage, just as the bud begins to split open and a sliver of color shows through the green sepals. Once cut, the flowers keep opening and can be enjoyed for 5 to 7 days in a vase. The large, dried pods are an ornamental favorite of florists and a common touch in home decor.
Harvesting Poppy Seeds
Important note: do not grow or harvest breadseed poppy flowers. We recommend choosing any other species. After the petals have died and dropped off, the pods will dry right on the stalk.
Seeds are ready to harvest when the pod is fully dried and hardened and the seeds begin to rattle around inside. Harvesting too early can keep the seeds from germinating, but wait too long and the pods split and scatter their seed to replant the following season on their own. Clip the dried pods off the stalks and store them in an airtight container until next year. When you are ready to plant, snip the ends off and shake the seeds out like a pepper shaker over well-prepared soil in a sunny spot.
Poppy Seed Nutrition and Health Benefits
The small, round, bluish-black poppy seed is rich in fiber, healthy fats, and micronutrients, particularly manganese. The seeds have long been used to aid digestion and to ease asthma, insomnia, headaches, and coughs. They add a gentle crunch and subtle flavor to many dishes, sprinkled on salads and roasted vegetables, topped on bagels, baked into breads and muffins, stirred into salad dressings, and famously paired with lemon. They can also be pressed into an oil that is often used on the skin.
Poppy Flower FAQ
What does the poppy flower symbolize?
The poppy flower carries several meanings at once. In Greek myth it stood for sleep and dreams through its tie to Morpheus, and for fertility and harvest through Demeter. Since the Napoleonic Wars and World War I, the red poppy has also become the world’s flower of remembrance for fallen soldiers. Color shifts the message: red for sacrifice, white for peace, and purple for the animals lost in war.
Why do people wear poppies on Memorial Day and Remembrance Day?
After World War I, red poppies were the first plants to bloom across the churned, lime-rich battlefields of Europe. John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields” sealed the image, and the flower became a symbol of the soldiers buried there. People now wear it on Memorial Day (May 30) in the United States and on Remembrance and Armistice Day (November 11) in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Are poppy flowers illegal to grow?
Most ornamental poppies are perfectly legal and widely sold for gardens. The exception is the breadseed or opium poppy, which we recommend you do not grow or harvest. Stick to common, Oriental, or California poppies and you get all the beauty without any of the trouble.
Are the poppy seeds on bagels safe to eat?
Yes. The bluish-black poppy seeds used on bagels, breads, and muffins come from the poppy plant but are cleaned of the milky substance that the opium trade relies on. They are safe to eat and bring fiber, healthy fats, and manganese to the table.
When should you plant poppies?
Sow poppy seeds in cool weather, in early spring once the soil can be worked, or in fall where winters are mild. Scatter the seeds on the surface and press them in lightly, since they need light to germinate and dislike being buried. Check our Gardening by the Moon calendar for the best sowing days in your region.
Do poppies come back every year?
It depends on the type. Oriental poppies are true perennials that return for years. Common and California poppies are annuals, but they self-seed so freely that they often reappear each spring as if they were perennial. Leaving a few pods to dry and scatter helps the patch renew itself.
What is the best time to cut poppies for a vase?
Cut poppies at the cracked bud stage, just as the bud splits and a sliver of color peeks through the sepals. The blooms keep opening in water and last about 5 to 7 days. Save the dried seed pods afterward, since florists prize them for arrangements and home decor.
Join the Discussion
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Natalie LaVolpe
Natalie LaVolpe is a freelance writer and former special education teacher. She is dedicated to healthy living through body and mind. She currently resides on Long Island, New York, with her husband, children, and dog.
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Great article. TY
as a very small child, when we moved into one of our homes on clarendon road in Brooklyn N.Y.., it was Memorial Day weekend. i still remember the tub with legs in front of our home after the bathroom was renovated. it had rained there were crepe poppies, not plastic like the modern ones. The dye from the crepe flowers was “bleeding” red into the water..i was fascinated. My late grandmother told me they were worn to honour “all those who died in our wars”..as the red dye flowed like blood through the water…it has stayed with me all these years…
I remember growing up; my dad would always purchase a poppy from the VFW Soldiers. I remember that being a sign of remembrance and honor. My father was also a Veteran. I purchase a Poppy every Memorial Day; to carry on his tradition of remembrance and honor.
Love the fact about how to harvest poppy seeds for next year, I love harvesting my own seeds
We’re glad to hear this story was helpful for you, Tammy!