(Argemone munita)

This poppy is extraordinarily tough and drought tolerant. It can be seen re-sprouting after fires in the Southwest when no other vegetation survives. Within an irrigated garden, the plant flourishes with a heavy bloom load that goes all summer until the first frost. The flowers are an incredibly crisp white that forms the perfect backdrop to observe native pollinators.

Sow seeds in spring or autumn. Without smoke or fire treatment some plants will sprout, but there will be some built-in dormancy. To achieve a higher rate of germination, you can start a small smoky fire with pine needles or straw above your seeded area. After the fire burns out, spread the ashes and water them in. Some people have had success buying all-natural smoke flavoring from supermarkets, diluting it with 10 parts water and soaking the seeds in the solution before sowing. If you are starting seeds in flats, you can periodically pass smoky branches underneath. Plant in a well weeded area, and be patient for germination. The seedlings look slightly "weedy", so check out the seedling photo on the left for identification.

We currently have two seed options for Argemone munita. You can choose between seed that was grown on our farm (4780' elevation with lots of supplemental water), or for those interested in specific seed transfer zones, we have some ethically harvested seed from Juab and Sanpete Counties in central Utah (5,500' elevation in pinyon-juniper shrub land that receives very little rainfall).

Packet: 200 seeds