What is the black substance on Poppies that is causing the stem to rot? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Question: What is the black “gunk” on the stems of my Poppies that is rotting the stem and causing them to snap off below the blossom? This has never happened before. The plant had 33 pods and just prior to blossoming, this gunk started to appear and several of the stems rotted through prior to read more