What kind of poppies? It's unlikely they are sterile, even sterile plants produce flowers; but I've never heard of a poppy that doesn't flower, except for Meconopsis.

I don't know. I purchased them by seed at a store.
they look like California poppies,... small orange & lively.

Those are annuals so if thats what they are and they are spreading they must have flowered and seeded. Maybe they are a different kind. You could try feeding with a high potash feed - can't think of anything else.

Californian poppies seem to flourish in fairly poor dry soil though.

Hi Landgirl, all Meconopsis flower - just not necessarily in the first year or two of growth.

or they are getting over fed and not needing to produce flowers as a final resort. if you are feeding them then stop. if you are not feeding them then give them a high potash feed.

Yes, that's what I meant about the Meconopsis, you have to be patient with the blue ones!