Izmir Hens & Chicks Poppy (500+ seeds)

This mythical-looking poppy originates from the world-renowned Izmir Oil & Spice farms. Hens & Chicks is the most underappreciated poppy I've ever come across. In fact, I would argue it's one of the best poppy strains on the planet. It checks all the boxes. When people ask us what variety we recommend, this is the one I mention first.

Hens & Chicks is the perfect strain for beginners. It is extremely robust, strong, and resilient. The seeds begin to germinate in just 3-4 days and grow fast, quickly outpacing all other varieties.
It grows huge gnarly, jagged leaves off of it's super thick main stalk. If planted early and given lots of sun, they'll grow tall and branch out, producing multiple large flowers. Everything about them is big. These easily grow to over 5 feet tall, given proper conditions. 
A lot of people want to grow Giganthemums because they are known for their large size but Izmir Hens & Chicks grow even bigger and has the highest yield per plant out of any variety that we sell. I simply cannot say enough good things about this cultivar. It's just an incredible plant all around.

The flowers of this beautiful poppy range from all different shades of pinks and purples to white with a purple centre. Because there are multiple colours, when we cross-pollinate them, we create new, unique variations each year.
After the petals fall, massive seed pods develop surrounded by "chicks". As these seed pods begin to mature they can be so heavy the plants begin to bend under their own weight and may need to be staked up. Many of the seed pods will also turn brilliant shades of purple/blue during the last week before harvest.

This unique flower is very easy to grow. Simply sprinkle some seeds onto loose soil in late fall or early spring, begin watering, and in 7-8 weeks, without hardly any tending to at all, you will have the most beautiful garden that is sure to garner many compliments from friends, family and neighbours!

Poppies are self-seeding, giving them the convenience of a perennial!

 

 

 ***INTERNATIONAL BUYERS*** We ship worldwide with a nearly 100% success rate, however, poppy seeds are not legal to import to all countries. Please check with your local customs agency regarding laws if you are unsure.

While it is extremely rare that we ever lose and order to customs, due to the way we ship our seeds, we must inform you that there is always the slight chance (>1%) that your order could be seized at the border. So far, Australia is the only country we've had this happen. We will attempt a re-ship, at no cost to you, upon viewing a copy of the seizure letter. 
To minimize customs issues and keep the shipping cost low, we only ship by standard International Lettermail. This is our preferred method as it does not require us to register the mail and declare it's contents, which greatly reduces the risk of it being seized at the border. We ship discreetly in a plain white, legal-sized envelope. It just looks like we've mailed you a letter. However, please be aware that standard Lettermail does not provide tracking. You will not receive a tracking number with your order. 
Furthermore, in Canada, our postal service does not provide international tracking services like most other developed countries. To send a tracked package outside of Canada we must ship with a third party carrier such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. and it is very expensive. It is generally between $75-$90 CAD for a single envelope and increases the risk of having the order seized by customs, as the mail must be registered. Within Canada, the cost to ship with tracking is approximately $15 and must be paid for by the customer. In our opinion, standard Lettermail is the safest, most economical option for everyone. 
***US RESIDENTS: There is a service provided by USPS called "Informed Delivery" that, if you sign up (it's free), they will email you greyscale images of your incoming lettermail a few days in advance. This can help you sort of track the whereabouts of your order and give you an idea of when it will arrive. Please visit: www.usps.com/manage/informed-delivery.htm to sign up and see if your address is eligible.

***At Okanagan Organics customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. If for any reason you are not fully satisfied with your experience with us, please, before leaving negative feedback, send us a message and we will do everything we can to resolve the matter quickly.

*All seeds we sell are intended for ornamental growing and culinary purposes only.