Enchanting red poppy field

by Silva Wischeropp

Magical poppies in the fantastic fields of Brandenburg in eastern Germany. This explosive shot was taken in the evening hours with the Nikon D90 on 12 June 2021. And yes, it's true that I've been a poppy lover since early childhood, a perfect place to heal the soul.

The red colour of summer
The poppy has been with us since the Neolithic Age.
The poppy's main flowering season is actually in spring, namely in May and June. Nevertheless, it is considered one of the summer companions par excellence. As soon as the poppy blooms, the bright and warm time of the year has finally begun.
When the delicate petals of the poppy unfurl from their buds, they appear to be made of wafer-thin, crumpled paper. The individual flowers only last two to three days before they wither. But all in all, the poppies remain in bloom into August and beyond, producing new red flowers day after day.

Now widespread worldwide
Like most field herbs, the corn poppy has not been native to Central Europe since time immemorial. The species originates from the warmer Mediterranean region and, together with cereals, spread northwards during the Neolithic period, sometime between 4500 and 3000 BC. Today, the corn poppy is found all over the world. In Europe, it grows up to an altitude of around 1000 metres above sea level, above which it becomes too cold.

As a typical cereal companion, the life cycle of the corn poppy is well adapted to that of cereals. The poppy is a so-called light germinator and therefore needs open areas every year. Cereal fields are ideal for this.