Antique Double Peony Poppy
Antique Double Peony Poppy produces extravagant, fully double flowers that look more like peonies than traditional poppies.
The large, ruffled blooms open in a beautiful antique-inspired mixture of rose, blush, mauve, burgundy, lavender, cream, and other softly muted shades. Each flower can be slightly different, giving a planting of Antique Double Peony Poppies the look of an old cottage garden filled with heirloom flowers.
For Alaska gardeners, poppies are an especially rewarding flower to grow. They prefer cool growing conditions, can be planted early, and quickly take advantage of our long summer days.
Antique Double Peony Poppies grow tall and elegant, with sturdy stems topped by large, densely petaled flowers. They are beautiful planted in groups through flower beds, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, and cutting gardens.
After flowering, the plants produce distinctive rounded seed pods that add another layer of interest to the garden and are beautiful in dried arrangements.
Scientific Name: Papaver somniferum
Plant Type: Annual
Height: Approximately 30–36 inches
Bloom Type: Large, fully double, peony-style flowers
Bloom Colors: Antique shades of pink, rose, mauve, burgundy, lavender, cream, and related tones
Sun: Full sun
Uses: Cottage gardens, flower borders, pollinator gardens, cut flowers, dried seed pods, and ornamental plantings
Best For: Alaska gardens, northern gardens, cool climates, and gardeners who love old-fashioned flowers
Why We Love Antique Double Peony Poppies
These are not subtle flowers.
The blooms are large, heavily ruffled, and packed with petals, creating almost unbelievable flowers on relatively simple plants.
The antique color palette makes them particularly beautiful mixed with cosmos, bachelor buttons, larkspur, calendula, and other cottage-garden flowers.
Because every plant may produce a slightly different shade, a group planting creates a constantly changing mix of color throughout the bloom period.
Planting Instructions
Poppies are best direct sown outdoors because they develop a taproot and generally do not appreciate being transplanted.
Sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Poppies tolerate cool temperatures well and do not need to wait for warm summer weather before planting.
Scatter the tiny seeds over finely prepared soil and gently press them into the surface.
Do not bury the seeds deeply. Poppy seed germinates best when planted very shallowly with access to light.
Keep the soil surface consistently moist until seedlings become established.
Once seedlings are large enough to handle, thin plants to approximately 6–10 inches apart.
Growing Instructions
Plant Antique Double Peony Poppies in full sun and well-drained soil.
Avoid heavily fertilizing the planting area. Excessive nitrogen can encourage lush leafy growth and weaker stems instead of flowers.
Water regularly while plants are becoming established, but mature poppies generally prefer soil that drains well rather than constantly wet conditions.
As plants grow taller, those in exposed Alaska gardens may benefit from some protection from strong wind or support from surrounding plants.
Removing spent flowers can keep the planting looking tidy, while allowing selected flowers to remain will produce the distinctive ornamental seed pods.
For the most impressive display, plant Antique Double Peony Poppies in groups rather than as isolated individual plants.
An Old-Fashioned Flower Worth Growing
There is something wonderfully excessive about a peony poppy.
A tiny seed grows into a tall plant topped with an enormous mass of silky, ruffled petals.
Antique Double Peony takes that one step further with its soft, old-fashioned color palette.
If you love cottage gardens, heirloom flowers, and plants that make you stop every time you walk past them, this is a poppy worth making room for.