Poppy's- annual or perennial?

I found some seed in my box.....and we're sure they would be perennials. They've appeared very quick :eek:

Does anyone know if you can tell the difference early on? They are in a seed tray so if they were annuals I would just put out in the garden in little clumps now before it's too late...

If they were perennials what would you do?

Plant em in the ground. If they flower and set seed they're likely annuals, but will self seed everywhere and they'll come up again next year. If they're perennial they're less likely to flower this year and will come back next year in same place and flower (then likely set seed and self seed around). Either way you end up with poppies.

If they were perennials what would you do?

If they were perennials I would prick out a dozen and pot on, keep them in the greenhouse to grow on until next year before planting out in early spring by which time I not only have a decent sized plant but would know where I want them.( the perennial poppies I have have never set seed elsewhere) 

If they are annual I would have chucked the seed into a border that is full of annual flowers and see some blooms this year...and no bothered with a tray as they don't like being transplanted.


So in responding to your question  I have worked out what I should do! Pot on a dozen and chuck the others in my annual flower border in small clumps and see what happens. But if they are annuals it's unlikely they live so I will probably be wasting my time.

Sorted!!
I have no joy with poppies whatever they are but they are lovely.

Nothing much reseeds here so I always start them off in trays....the seed was old so I didn't expect much to come and loads did so my guess is they are annuals.

This year I had some annual black poppy seeds- I picked each seed up with a tweezers and individually sowed them in modules then planted out each module and they are looking fab - can't wait for them to flower

I have post box red perennial poppies Not the Flanders type or the 'Shirley Hybrid type but huge flowers  like a peony rose.. They are flowering now and were in the garden when I acquired the house

Oriental Poppies are perennial, they are the huge flamboyant ones. Corn poppies are annual and germinate best in disturbed soil. Californian poppies can sometimes over winter and if cut back, not too hard will flower a second time. Shirley poppies, the ones that produce the big poppy seed heads are annual.

Hope that helps.

Forgot one, Welsh poppies, yellow or orange, perennial. Another, Himalayan Poppies, Blue, perennial.