Texas is a vast berth with a wide of the mark range of environments and climates , but poppy can develop in most areas in either full sun or fond shade , depending on the sort .
Dozens of heyday portion out the common name " poppy , " most of which belong to the plant familyPapaveraceae . Several poppy mixed bag are native to Texas , including the well - known Texas ashen prickly poppy(Argemone albiflorassp.texana ) , but these are not the only type of poppy you ’ll find growing in this state .
Also vulgar are the annual California poppy(Eschscholzia californica)and the Flanders poppy(Papaver rhoeas ) , also called a red corn whisky poppy , field poppy or red poppy .

Poppy Flowers Common in Texas
poppy are among the most mutual wildflower in Texas . Some are native , and some are plebeian , although not actually aboriginal to the state .
Poppies Native to Texas
Texas aboriginal poppies include the white prickly poppy , the Mexican amber poppy and the Mexican tulip poppy .
The white-hot prickly poppy include various species in theArgemonegenus , all of which are types of prickly poppies ( sometimes import as one word , pricklypoppy ) .
Some of these sport " Texas " in their coarse name , includingArgemone aurantiaca , called Texas prickly poppy , and the Texas white prickly poppy , also jazz as the Texas Bluestem prickly poppy . These are all prickly with leaf and staunch that have fine hair or outright prickle but may have extremely showy flower . Some are one-year , some are biennial and some have characteristics of both .
The Mexican gold poppy(Eschscholzia californicassp.mexicana ) , an yearbook that grows about 2 feet tall , is also native to several other western states , including its namesake California but also New Mexico , Arizona and Nevada .
The Mexican tulip poppy(Hunnemannia fumariifolia)was not thought to be aboriginal to Texas until a tie-up was discovered in the Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas , grant to theLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . It is a perennial , about 18 inches high , with yellow flowers .
Other Poppies Common in Texas
you’re able to also promptly find the Flanders poppy under all its common epithet and the Shirley poppy , which is a cultivar of the Flanders poppy(Papaver rhoeas’Shirley Poppy ' ) .
Texas A&M University reports that the red corn poppy is an yearly native to Europe , although it now mature idle across the U.S. As its name intimate , it sports a ruby prime have purplish sum .
Growing Poppies in Texas
There is no definitive guidepost regardinggrowing poppiesin Texas because Texas comprise multiple climates andsoil conditions , and the various sort of poppies also have specific requisite . However , all poppy expect well - draining grunge .
allow ’s consider the requirement of the most vulgar poppy .
Tip
Because poppy seeds are tiny , plant poppies by mixing them with sand before sowing to help ensure an even spread .
Growing Red Corn Poppy
This poppy is an annual that blooms in the heat of summer in USDA hardiness zone 3 to 10 . In oecumenical , poppies transplant poorly , so sow the source in tardy fall or early spring like a shot into a garden bed that take in full sun .
There is no need to inhume the seed profoundly ; just rake some soil over the come and keep the filth moist until sprouting , which normally takes 7 to 10 days .
poppy need little fertilizer and ego - sow readily , so plant life will likely continue to make out back the next year and many years after . In fact , you may want to deadhead the peak to avoid too many newfangled industrial plant each yr .
Growing Prickly Poppy Varieties
Many areas of the U.S. provide information for abode gardeners and commercial Farmer on how to contain prickly poppy , not how to cultivate it , since some species can be invasive , in particular the Mexican prickly poppy , concord to theUniversity of Florida IFAS Extension .
Prickly poppies have deep taproots and can give 3 to 5 feet tall . It has naturalized in expanse that have long , hot , dry seasons like much of Texas . It ’s a slap-up pollinator , attracting bee as well as other critter such as fly front and beetles .
As with most other poppy variety , it transplants ill due to its taproot , so scatter the seeds outside in fall or late saltation in USDA zone 7 to 10 . For fall plantings , you ’ll have flower in spring and then again in the crepuscle for outflow plantings .
Prickly poppy are honest cut heyday with their jazzy , yellow blooms , which can be as large as 6 inches in diam .
Again , the elemental challenge when growing prickly poppy is care its scatter , so deadhead it before it produces germ and monitor your yard for isolated seedlings .