Poppy
Papaver somniferum
Annual
Flowers July-Aug.
Common Names / Habitat
/ Magickal Uses / Edible
Uses / Medicinal Uses / Cultivation
/ Propagation
Common Names: Adormidera, Adormidero, Blue Bread Seed Poppy, Chandu, Gelinjik, Hashas, Kheshkhash Abu Al Noum, Madat, Mawseed, O Fang, O Fu Jung, O P'Ien, Opium, Opium Poppy, Poppy, Poppy, Opium, Poppy, Opium, Tengkoh, White Poppy, Ya P'Ien, Yu Mi
Habitat: Not known in a truly wild situation.
Magickal Uses: *POISON* See below.
Edible Uses: Leaves; Oil; Seed. Seed - raw or cooked. Much used as a flavouring in cakes, bread, fruit salads etc, it imparts a very nice nutty flavour. The crushed and sweetened seeds are used as a fillling in crepes, strudels, pastries etc. The seeds are perfectly safe to eat, containing very little if any of the narcotic principles. Highly nutritious, the seed contains about 22.7% protein, 48% fat, 9.8% carbohydrate, 7.1% ash. The seeds are rather small, but there are large numbers of them contained in capsules 3cm or more in diameter and so they are easy to harvest and utilize. Edible young leaves - raw or cooked. They must be used before the flower buds have formed. One report says that the leaves do not contain any narcotic principles. Some caution is advised, see notes at top of the page. A high quality edible drying oil is obtained from the seed. It has an almond flavour and makes a good substitute for olive oil.
Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Antispasmodic; Antitussive; Astringent; Diaphoretic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Homeopathy; Hypnotic; Narcotic; Sedative. The opium poppy contains a wide range of alkaloids and has been a very valuable medicine, especially useful in bringing relief from pain. Its use (especially of the extracted alkaloids opium and morphine which it contains) can become addictive, however, and so it should be treated with extreme caution and only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The dried juice (latex) from the unripe green seed vessels is a rich source of the active alkaloids, including morphine. It is extracted by making shallow incisions in the capsules as soon as the petals have fallen. Care must be taken that the incisions do not penetrate to the interior of the seed capsules. The latex exudes from the capsules and dries in contact with the air - it is then scraped off. This latex is anodyne, antitussive, astringent, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, narcotic and sedative. As well as its pain-relieving properties, the latex has also been used as an antispasmodic and expectorant in treating certain kinds of coughs, whilst its astringent properties make it useful in the treatment of dysentery etc. A homeopathic remedy is made from the dried latex. This is used in the treatment of a variety of complaints, including constipation, fevers and insomnia.
Cultivation: Prefers a rich well-drained sandy loam in a sunny position. Requires a moist soil but does not do well on wet clays. Prefers a sandy loam or a chalky soil. Plants often self-sow in British gardens. The opium poppy is a very ornamental plant that is often cultivated in the flower garden. There are many named varieties, some of which have been developed for their edible uses. The plant is widely grown, often illegally, in warm temperate and tropical climates for the substances contained in its sap. These are often used medicinally as pain killers, especially in the treatment of terminally ill patients suffering extreme pain, they are also used for their narcotic effects by some people. These substances are highly addictive and lead to a shortening of the life span if used with any frequency. In cool temperate zones the plant does not produce sufficient of the narcotic principles to make their extraction feasible and cultivation of the plant is perfectly legal in Britain. Plants have ripened their seeds as far north as latitude 69°n in Norway. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits.
Propagation: Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ.
From the 2000 Horizon Herbs catalog:
Easy to germinate, but must be sown in cold soils. Direct-seed in early spring, just after the last frost. Press hard into soil surface. They will grow rapidly in rich, moist soils. Thin to 6 inches apart. Grows 3 to 4 feet tall.
Poisonous Part: Dried milky sap from all parts, but mainly fruits.
Symptoms: Stupor, coma, shallow and slow breathing, respiratory and circulatory depression.
EDIBLE PARTS: Poppy seeds used as topping of breads are safe.
Toxic Principle: Alkaloids, morphine and others.
Severity: HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN!
