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Post by steev on Dec 2, 2010 19:33:23 GMT -5
Junkies love opium.
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Post by waltseed on May 4, 2011 17:28:04 GMT -5
Papaver californicum (Califonia poppy), Papaver nudicaule (Iceland poppy), Papaver orientale (Oriental poppy), Papaver rhoeas (corn poppy, Flanders poppy) all can be used as garden flowers...but they are not edible or have any where near the variety of colors and forms as P somniferum.. J. L. Hudson says corm poppy seeds are edible and used in cooking. The catalog says they taste different from breadseed poppy seeds good when used the same way. I don't know this first hand. |
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Post by stevil on May 5, 2011 2:41:25 GMT -5
J. L. Hudson says corm poppy seeds are edible and used in cooking. The catalog says they taste different from breadseed poppy seeds good when used the same way. I don't know this first hand. What's more, corn poppy (P. rhoeas) greens are one of the mostly commonly used wild gathered veggies in the Mediterranean countries, frequently sold on markets - have witnessed this myself... |
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Post by castanea on May 15, 2011 23:31:34 GMT -5
J. L. Hudson says corm poppy seeds are edible and used in cooking. The catalog says they taste different from breadseed poppy seeds good when used the same way. I don't know this first hand. What's more, corn poppy (P. rhoeas) greens are one of the mostly commonly used wild gathered veggies in the Mediterranean countries, frequently sold on markets - have witnessed this myself... Is it the really young greens that are edible? I know the older greens are not supposed to be eaten by some livestock. |
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Post by ottawagardener on May 16, 2011 8:58:49 GMT -5
Corn poppy greens are edible. Whatdayano. Awaiting answer on age. I'm guessing it's young ones too. Be interesting to try some of the seeds.
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Post by alabamy on May 19, 2011 11:34:38 GMT -5
This is a very interesting article that appeared in Harper's magazine back in 1997. The writer details his investigations with growing opium poppies and the laws surrounding it. At one point Pollan quotes C. Z. Guest from the New York Post as saying opium poppy seeds are legal to possess and sell, “the live plants (or even dried, dead ones) fall into the same legal category as cocaine and heroin.” I found that hard to believe myself but when I looked it up on the DEA website it was accurate. What's funny is that pretty much every craft store in America sells dried poppies including the seed head. People have been know to buy those and use them for making opium tea but apparently it's highly illegal. Who knew. Anyway, here's the article if you're interested. Opium Made Easy By Michael Pollan Harper's Magazine, April 1, 1997 michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/opium-made-easy/ |
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Post by steev on May 19, 2011 23:13:32 GMT -5
Yes, indeed; very interesting article. I like Pollan's work. The documentary "The Botany of Desire" was very interesting, especially the obvious near-reverence lavished on the segment about marijuana. The whole prohibition thing is such a crock. It's like the books that should be burned to protect the children. So much better to raise strong children, than to prevent them from being tested, for fear they will fail, or worse, surpass their elders. What healthy parent wouldn't want his children to do better than himself? The struggle for freedom is not over.
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bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Post by bertiefox on May 22, 2011 4:12:04 GMT -5
If it's really illegal to grow them anywhere, and as they self seed so massively, will the gendarmes/police offer to help weed your garden to remove them? What a lovely idea!
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Post by mjc on May 22, 2011 12:12:51 GMT -5
Some of the most beautiful plantings of P. somniferum I've seen were municipal plantings, including some around police stations...
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Post by steev on May 22, 2011 20:18:13 GMT -5
I think in the spirit of generosity so prevalent among gardeners, a little discrete seed-scattering of things like P. somniferum, among other things, around police stations is the least we can do to show our appreciation for the public safety we enjoy.
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Post by cortona on May 24, 2011 6:59:04 GMT -5
i can tel for the cornpoppyes, the young green are realy good! i like it! and in some place in italy people grow it intentionaly as spring green!(usualy i use the wild ones for a meal in spring and i'm ok with this)
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Post by zadok on Jun 12, 2011 3:07:06 GMT -5
Regarding this subject in BC canada where I live. poppies are legal or a least a blind eye is turned. to anyone with them in a garden for their beauty. and these seeds are sold along with sunflowers and radishes on any seed rack. however it is a different story if your backyard has a few poppies to it looking like an afganistan field crop. Has anyone planted the himalayan blue poppy, they seem to be super hearty here and come back looking like bushes more than flowers.
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Post by bunkie on Jun 12, 2011 9:53:29 GMT -5
zadok, we're growing the Himalayan blue poppy for the first time this year. they haven't blossomed yet.
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