Guide: Poppy
The common poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is a wild plant that grows among cereal crops, on verges and along field edges. It is not cultivated: it comes up on its own and, in some years, dots wheat fields with red or colours whole fields. It is an unpredictable bloom and much sought after for that reason.
When
Across much of Spain it flowers in spring, mainly in May and June on the central plateaus; in warmer areas it can start earlier. How many there are varies a lot from year to year: it depends on autumn and spring rain, on how the land was worked and on the herbicides used in each field. There is no fixed calendar.
Where
It can be seen in almost every cereal-growing area, especially on the great plains of Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha and Aragón. On our map we follow La Bureba (Burgos), a cereal district where poppies dot the wheat fields with red in spring.
How to tell the moment
At bud stage the hairy buds hang nodding from the stem and straighten as they open. With the first flowers, scattered red dots appear along the edges and among the cereal. At full bloom there are continuous patches of red. Each flower is short-lived and soon drops its petals; at the end only the green seed capsules remain, and the cereal turns yellow ahead of harvest.
How to see it
Poppies are usually inside private crop fields: do not walk in or trample the cereal for photos, because it is the farmer's harvest. There are good views from tracks and verges. Park without blocking farm tracks. A cut poppy wilts almost at once, so it is better left in the field. Low evening light brings out the red.
Did you know?
Poppy seeds can wait in the soil for years: in one study, 84% were still alive after eleven years underground. They need light to germinate, which is why they come up in masses when the ground is turned. The flower became a symbol of remembrance for the war dead after the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915.
Where we follow it
Usual season: dates from past years, for guidance only. Each year it comes earlier or later depending on the weather.
Tell me when it blooms: poppy
We will email you when flowering starts. One email per season, no advertising.
Sources: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · unavarra.es · warmuseum.ca · diariodecastillayleon.es