Can poppies be pink?
They can. The wild corn poppy is red, but selective breeding has given us pink, yellow, orange and white strains. The Shirley poppies, a well-known group, include shades from pale blush to salmon and rose, frequently with a light centre. Pale pink poppies are also what many people picture when they think of an old-fashioned cottage border.
A softer look
Pink poppies do not carry the remembrance meaning that red ones do, so they suit weddings and spring gardens without any solemn overtones. In a mixed drift with white and lavender they look soft and natural. A bunch of pale pink poppies on a table lasts three to five days, so choose them for a special occasion rather than a long run.
Growing pink poppies
Sow in autumn in most of temperate Australia, scattering seed on bare sunny soil and pressing it in lightly without covering it. In Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart autumn sowings give spring colour. In warm humid places like Brisbane, sow in the cooler months only.
- Space seedlings about ten centimetres apart.
- Skip fertiliser; rich soil gives leaves instead of flowers.
- Self-sown seedlings can revert to red, because poppies cross-pollinate freely.
Poppies and pets
The plants carry the same mild sedative alkaloid as the red ones, so keep them clear of pets and children. If you pick them, sear the cut stem ends to stop the milky sap flowing.
