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Flower profile

Poppy

Quick facts

Botanical name: Papaver nudicaule (Iceland poppy); Papaver spp. In SAF's language of flowers, poppy means consolation.

Poppy at a glance

Meaning
consolation
Colors
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Red
  • Pink
  • White
  • Salmon
Season
Spring to early summer.
Special care
Buy colored buds that are just cracking open. Stems ooze milky sap when cut; re-cut and place straight into water. Keep cool; blooms open fast in a warm room.
Also called
Iceland poppy, Oriental poppy, Shirley poppy

About poppies

Silky, tissue-paper flowers on slender, nodding stems that open from furry drooping buds. Iceland poppies are the type sold cut; oriental and Shirley poppies are garden flowers.

How to make poppies last

  1. Keep them cool until they are in water. Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them into a flower food solution.
  2. Fill a clean vase with water and flower food. Use a clean, deep vase and add the flower food from your florist, following the mixing directions on the packet.
  3. Remove leaves below the waterline. Leaves in water promote bacterial growth that can limit water uptake by the flower.
  4. Re-cut the stems. Remove one to two inches with a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems, then place the flowers straight into the vase.
  5. For poppies. Buy colored buds that are just cracking open. Stems ooze milky sap when cut; re-cut and place straight into water. Keep cool; blooms open fast in a warm room.
  6. Keep them in a cool spot. 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents and ceiling fans.

Care steps from SAF’s flower care tips. More flower care tips →

Questions about poppies

What does the poppy mean?

In the traditional language of flowers, the poppy stands for "consolation".

What colors do poppies come in?

Poppies come in orange, yellow, red, pink, white and salmon.

How do you care for poppies?

Keep poppies cool until they are in water, use a clean vase with flower food, remove any leaves below the waterline, re-cut the stems by one to two inches and keep the vase at 65 to 72 degrees, away from direct sunlight and vents. For poppies: Buy colored buds that are just cracking open. Stems ooze milky sap when cut; re-cut and place straight into water. Keep cool; blooms open fast in a warm room.

Where can I buy poppies?

From a local SAF member florist. Enter the recipient's ZIP code on this page to find florists near them.

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