Delicate red poppy blossoms in a cornfield by Silva Wischeropp

I discovered these magical, luminous, delicate red poppy blossoms in the beautiful fields of Brandenburg in the Barnim region of eastern Germany.
This soft and pastel-coloured nature motif was created in the late evening hours of 12 June 2021 with a NIKON D90 camera (lens: SIGMA 18.0-70.0 mm f/3.5-4.5).

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 at home with us since the Neolithic Age.
Actually, the main flowering season for poppies is already in spring, namely in May and June. Nevertheless, it is considered one of the quintessential companions of summer. As soon as the corn poppy blooms, the bright and warm season of the year has finally begun.
When the delicate petals of the corn poppy unfold from their buds, they appear to be made of wafer-thin, crinkled paper. Each individual flower lasts only two to three days before wilting. However, poppy populations remain until August and beyond, producing new red flowers day after day.

Now widespread worldwide
Like most field herbs, the poppy has not been native to Central Europe since ancient times. The species originates from the warmer Mediterranean region and spread northwards together with cereals during the Neolithic period, sometime between 4500 and 3000 BC. Today, the corn poppy is found worldwide. In our region, it grows at altitudes of up to approximately 1000 metres above sea level; above this, it becomes too cold for it.

As a typical companion to grain, the life cycle of the corn poppy is well adapted to that of grain. Corn poppies are so-called light germinators and therefore require open spaces every year. Grain fields are ideal for this.