evonne, now we're back to where we were before. And your link is very specific about papaver rhoeas, what I read in two different sources pertained to field poppies but assumed it would apply to mine as well, same as what you're saying. But stage found differently. Maybe sometimes they do self pollinate. I doubt we can resolve the discrepancy unless I just try it and see what happens. Not good to keep crossing them to the same genotype though which I would have to do to keep these going if it even succeeds. Today I went out, and two are blooming simultaneously. So it isn't clear if it applies to a single bloom or all blooms on the same plant. Do you think because of the two going now (and hopefully for the rest of the buds), they will swap pollen? No, I read it again, and it says same plant or another plant of the same genotype. My you've got your terminology down better than I do. I wonder what they do to select what I would call a sport but may not be the right term for poppies. At some point in the evolution of any plant with self-incompatibiity, it must have worked or we wouldn't have so many poppies that come true from seed. It appears many don't as they are sold as mixtures such as Angels Choir. In the above photo from WA state, they must cross pollinate, self sow, and produce uniform flowers the following year or they're perennials. This is all new to me, in the dim recesses of my memory, I knew that corn self pollinates, but the link covers that, too. Some plants don't have the inhibiting factor. Others do in certain families. Must be a reason for it going one way for some and the other way for other types, suppose the experts can only speculate about that. I'm guessing for our now infamous Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia, they must have gotten a new bloom and used seeds from that for multiple generations. Where it is now, it reverts to all sorts of things. I wonder how they do select out poppies then or if they can. What about that unique grape poppy? I think it might be a rhoeas, too, but am not sure.

Cathe - welcome to the forum! Our FAQ has a lot of information on host plants and nectar plants and raising butterflies. If you plant both hosts and nectar plants, you'll get lots of butterflies. The butterflies lay eggs on specific host plants and that's how we get our "baby" caterpillars. The egg hatches, the caterpillar emerges, and becomes a virtual eating machine until it reaches a certain size, after which it pupates, forms a chrysalis, and emerges after approx. 2 weeks, as a butterfly. You live in Texas, the state which has the most butterfly species of any in the nation. Lucky girl! The Dallas Lepidopterist Society has a great website on host plants and nectar plants as well and lists the butterflies most commonly found in Texas. Feel free to ask questions on the forum - we welcome anyone who is interested in gardening for the butterflies. Susan Here is a link that might be useful: Dallas Lepidopterists

Hi Flower Power, I have one planted vertically but only for cuttings. It is only in a 4 inch pot but will go into the garden today as it is well over a foot tall. I think your 6 inch pot will be way too small, unless you are just starting it there until planting in a larger space. I intend to get that vertical tuber into the ground however it will fit to best accommodate the plant growth. They aren't that smart that they know direction, are they? One point for horizontal planting is that the ground would be warmer near the surface, cooler down vertically. So perhaps that's why horizontal planting is recommended. Plus, sometimes when you dig up clumps there are many new tubers formed and some of them are forced to go vertical for lack of horizontal space. FlowerPower I drool over your wooded acreage, sounds great!

Hey y'all (Texan ya know) those who are sending via paypal, they take out a percentage because they are now money hungry mongrels. I sent an overage because I was afraid they would do that. TMG was kind enough to furnish the cans just for the postage, it just isn't right she should get stuck with that.Just a FYI