Anyone know anything about Poppy plants?

I received some seeds in a trade in the Fall and threw them out in one of my garden beds. Well, the seeds germinated and I now have some beautiful poppies that are all starting to bloom. I have never grown poppies before and know very little about them or even what cultivar of poppy I have. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My questions:

1) Can anyone ID the cultivar of my poppy as shown in the photo?

2) Is this poppy an annual or perennial? I am in zone 9b/10a.

3) Does a poppy plant re-bloom if the wilting flowerhead is pruned off? Or do they just bloom once and then the plant starts making a seed pod and then dying. I have noticed on mine that they have more than one bud forming on each plant. Is that typical?

Here is a photo of the entire plant right before it started blooming. I have quite a few of these growing in this bed. The flowers are just stunning! I have never seen them before in real life. I'm excited!!!

IN your zone its might be a perennial but either way they reseed really easy. Cant be for sure on cultivar cus there is so many. They do not rebloom either. After bloom poppies get a bit unsightly but dont cut them back until they completely brown up.

hope this helps a bit

flowrgirl1 - THANKS for the advice!

Why should I leave them until they completely brown up? Is it because they might be perennials and need to store energy to the tubers/roots for the next growth season? Or because they need to produce seeds? Or why?

I am soooo new to poppies that I haven't a clue about them!

Well, if they are perennial in your area then yes, they will need to store up energy. Someone will probably post that knows more then me so about them. Im in z5 so that type is annual and after they go to seed i just rip em up. My perennial poppies are left until they brown up then i clean em up.

Poppies are really easy so you will enjoy them. Do some web searches for poppies. You should find a wealth of info.

Becky, I think that's papaver somniferum. I always see them listed as annuals but they do reseed.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54226/

I agree with Hart, but you might also check out the Poppy Forum for more detailed info.

Poppy Forum???? I did NOT know that there was one! Well ... thank you so much, wrightie!!!

Yeah, I discovered it just a couple months ago myself!

Hello:Becky,
I may of sent you some of my annual poppy mix last year.I grew this poppy ,it is a anual poppy.I may have a photo of this poppy?I beleive it was called a fringed cherry red.I have grown a few annual poppy somniferums.I have some photos posted over on the poppy forum.
Thanks!
Karla

Here is the link:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/733846/

Becky, I wish I'd known that poppies grow in FL when I lived there. I always thought they only grew in cooler zones. I transplanted some of the morning glory seedlings from your seeds into larger pots yesterday. They are going gangbusters. I sure wish spring would come so I can try the direct seeding

hello becky- such a pretty red poppy- It is definitely p. somniferum (opium poppy) which comes in various shades of red-pink purple lavender and white- I've had them in my garden for years. They are annual where ever they grow, and die after setting seed. Make sure to let the seed pod mature if you want to have more next year.(and you will have LOTS more!) The pods are interesting, and make a good dried flower.. Don't worry about the opium part- it doesn't make much. they are also called bread seed poppy-(the little black seeds on rolls) The pod will eventually turn into a round salt shaker kind of thing, with holes in the top that the seeds sprinkle out of- all your babies may be red unless you have some other colors in your mix.

Question - since the plants are somewhat linked to opium..... does that mean that the deer won't or WILL eat? I would love it if they would leave it alone - BUT if I am going to have a herd of deer totally wrecked and scratching and nodding all over the yard...... .I am not sure I could handle that.

funny idea! I think deer actually do avoid them- but i'm not sure.... They do attract birds. I've often seen little finches making a hole in the bottom of the dried pods and eating seeds while hanging upside down. one way or another those seeds seem to get every where!

Perhaps the deer avoid them because of the hairs on the stems and leaves.