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Papaver somniferum

Opium Poppy · Breadseed Poppy · Garden Poppy

Family PapaveraceaeGenus Papaver

A scarlet poppy with a black blotch at the base of each petal ringing a pale green center, among blue-gray seed capsules.
Flowertanja niggendijker from apeldoorn, the netherlandsCC BY 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
annualPlants of the World Online
Habit
Annual, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
White, pink, red, purpleFlora of North America
Native range
Algeria, Baleares, Canary Is., Corse, France, Italy and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The source of both opium and poppy seeds, and a garden ornamental too. Its native range in the western Mediterranean is blurred by cultivation since ancient times. Wikipedia: Papaver somniferum

Two sources report 7 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 3, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 4 days to germinate.

60% germination in 4 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). KW reports that many species show no sign of dying after 5 y of DS. P. somniferum seeds germ. 70D(none) but after 6 m DS they germ. 70D(30% on 4th d). Germination in 70D stayed at 30% after 1 y and 2 y of DS but declined to 1% after DS for 3 y. There were some strange effects of light and GA-3. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(60% on 4th d) and 70 GA-3(60% on 4th d) whereas fresh seed germ. none in either 70L or 70 GA-3. However, if fresh seed is given 3 m in 70 GA-3, 62% germ. in 2-10 w on shifting to 40. Obviously there is interesting chemistry taking placé other than the destruction of the blocking system by DS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 3, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Gibberellic acid soak

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 4 days to germinate.

60% germination in 4 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). KW reports that many species show no sign of dying after 5 y of DS. P. somniferum seeds germ. 70D(none) but after 6 m DS they germ. 70D(30% on 4th d). Germination in 70D stayed at 30% after 1 y and 2 y of DS but declined to 1% after DS for 3 y. There were some strange effects of light and GA-3. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(60% on 4th d) and 70 GA-3(60% on 4th d) whereas fresh seed germ. none in either 70L or 70 GA-3. However, if fresh seed is given 3 m in 70 GA-3, 62% germ. in 2-10 w on shifting to 40. Obviously there is interesting chemistry taking placé other than the destruction of the blocking system by DS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 3, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 4 days to germinate.

30% germination in 4 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). KW reports that many species show no sign of dying after 5 y of DS. P. somniferum seeds germ. 70D(none) but after 6 m DS they germ. 70D(30% on 4th d). Germination in 70D stayed at 30% after 1 y and 2 y of DS but declined to 1% after DS for 3 y. There were some strange effects of light and GA-3. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(60% on 4th d) and 70 GA-3(60% on 4th d) whereas fresh seed germ. none in either 70L or 70 GA-3. However, if fresh seed is given 3 m in 70 GA-3, 62% germ. in 2-10 w on shifting to 40. Obviously there is interesting chemistry taking placé other than the destruction of the blocking system by DS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Papaver p. 63. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 30, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 29, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 70 days.

62% germination in 14–70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). The DS seed of the following species germ. immediately at 70: P. somniferum is a dramatic 0-70 germinator. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(60%), 70D GA-3(60%), and 70D(30%) all on the 4th d. Fresh seeds germ. 70D GA-3)-40(62% in 2-10 w) and none in any other treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

60% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). The DS seed of the following species germ. immediately at 70: P. somniferum is a dramatic 0-70 germinator. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(60%), 70D GA-3(60%), and 70D(30%) all on the 4th d. Fresh seeds germ. 70D GA-3)-40(62% in 2-10 w) and none in any other treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Gibberellic acid soak

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

60% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). The DS seed of the following species germ. immediately at 70: P. somniferum is a dramatic 0-70 germinator. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(60%), 70D GA-3(60%), and 70D(30%) all on the 4th d. Fresh seeds germ. 70D GA-3)-40(62% in 2-10 w) and none in any other treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

30% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185Public domain
Show the original text
Papaver (Papaveraceae). The DS seed of the following species germ. immediately at 70: P. somniferum is a dramatic 0-70 germinator. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(60%), 70D GA-3(60%), and 70D(30%) all on the 4th d. Fresh seeds germ. 70D GA-3)-40(62% in 2-10 w) and none in any other treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Papaver p. 185. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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