Perfect for gardeners in pursuit of an easy-to-grow large flowering plant. It has fascinating, large, fully double white flowers, with lovely crinkled petals. “White Cloud” Paeony Poppy is superb in the flower border.
These plants are showstoppers when they're in full bloom, the tallest are at eye level. With their impressive variety, spectacular blooms and strange seed pods, Peony poppies are one of the easiest ways to add a bit of architecture and a lot of dazzle to your garden.

Peony poppies send up thick flower stems that rise as high as five feet and produce five to ten nodding flower heads. When the flowers do burst, overnight, from their casings, the gardener is treated to some of the most dramatic flowers in the plant kingdom. As if this weren't enough to tempt any gardener, once the petals drop, one is left with a spectacular, instantly recognisable seedpod.

Grow in deep, well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. Enrich soil with manure, or bone meal before planting, (or any organic fertiliser rich in nitrogen). P. somniferums grow quickly; give sufficient water to increase both the number of flowers and their individual size. Although these poppies gobble up the nutrients, their eventual show will be more than worth the proper environment.

Sowing: Sow in pots in autumn or sow directly in spring
For Autumn planting sow seeds in peat pellets or newspaper pots, poppies do not transplant well at all because they have very sensitive root systems. Seeds germinate in less than two weeks. Keep moist at all times, transplant to larger pots as seedlings grow. Plant out in spring
Otherwise, sow direct where they are to flower in spring at around 20°C (68°F) in short drills 6mm (½in) deep.
Cover lightly with soil, mark the sowing areas with a ring of light coloured sand and label if sowing more than one annual in the same bed. The seedlings will appear in rows approx 6 to 8 weeks after planting and can be told from nearby weed seedlings quite easily.

Cultivation:
Thin the seedlings out so they are finally 30cm (12in) in apart by early summer. Be ruthless, just leave the biggest and most healthy looking. By doing this, you'll get more flowers and pods per plant that are bigger and stronger.
Poppies don't need to be watered too often, but when you do water, give it a nice soaking. This will promote strong root growth. After about 6 to 8 weeks of vegetative growth, add a high Phosphorus fertilizer for the flowering stage.
The most serious problem for these poppies is root rot. Excellent drainage is a must. Snails find the young leaves very tasty, so a snail deterrent is recommended. They can be prone to grey mold, but usually this is only a cosmetic issue. Once they get established, P. somniferums are very hardy.

Dried Flowers:
Poppies will begin to bloom 10 to 12 weeks from the time you plant them. Their pedals will drop after about 48 to 72 hours. The pods will continue to grow for the next couple weeks. During this period, it's very important not to water them unless absolutely necessary. Once the pods turn a bluish tint with a white film on top, they are ready for harvest

Plant Uses:
Cottage/Informal Garden, Flower Borders and Beds, Flower Arranging

Other Information:
The seeds of this plant can be used in cooking but if eaten raw, can cause mild stomach upset.