These beautiful poppy varieties take their name from the beloved garden plant; the peony. However, unlike those perennials, which may sometimes be difficult to grow and encourage into flower, Peony poppies are easy and decadent. Their flowers look so much like the real thing, that even up close, you might be truly forgiven for not thinking they’re a poppy at all.

 

  As with the peony, Papaver paeoniflorum flowers are a mass of intensely rippled petals that give them charm and elegance. They come in a lovely range of colors, from hot pink and salmon, through to striped and antique white.

 

  Like all annual poppies, one of the best things about Papaver paeoniflorum is they’re easy to grow as long as you’ve got well draining soil and they’re placed in a sunny or partially shady spot. And, by regularly deadheading these plants through the summer, you’ll encourage new buds to form so you can enjoy the stunning blooms for even longer.

 

  If you’ve ever wanted to grow peonies but haven’t had the time or patience, then peony poppies are the ideal alternative. They’re a stunning poppy variety in themselves, and with so many colors to choose from, you may just find yourself coming back for more.