Corn poppy, field poppy,
Flanders poppy, corn rose
Botanical Family : Papaveraceae
Native to : Europe
Researched by : Pat Cox & Noreen Barker
Botanical Family:
Papaveraceae, the Poppy Family.
Almost exclusive to the northern hemisphere, this family has over 800 species, including our native Prickly Poppy Argemone albiflora, the California Tree Poppy Romneya coulteri, and Bleeding Heart Lamprocapnos spectabilis.
Cultivation:
Thrives in areas of disturbed soil and was abundant in agricultural fields before the advent of herbicides. Grows in fields, beside roads and on grasslands.
The corn poppy is an annual, forming a long-lived soil seed bank that can germinate when the soil is disturbed. Generally flowers in late spring and grows up to about 28 inches. The stems hold single flowers which are 2-4 inches in diameter with four petals that are vivid red with a black spot at their base. The flower stem is covered with coarse hairs.
Selective breeding has resulted in cultivars in yellow, orange, pink, and white.
Folklore & Traditional Uses:
The poppy appears on postage stamps, coins, banknotes, and national flags including a Romanian bank note, Canadian notes and coins, and Great Britain stamps commemorating the WWII Battle of the Somme.
During the 20th century, the wearing of a poppy for Remembrance Day each year on November 11 became an established custom in English-speaking western countries.
Modern & Medicinal Uses:
The black poppy seeds are edible, either on their own or in bread, though the majority of poppy seeds harvested for culinary use are from the related species Papaver somniferum.
The petals contain a red dye which is used in some medicines and wines; the dried petals are used to give color to potpourris.
In traditional folk medicine the poppy was used for gout, aches and pains, and the petals were used to create a syrup that was fed to children to help them sleep. It contains an alkaloid called rhoeadine which is a mild sedative.
Recipes:
Poppy seed Infusion
The seeds and seed capsules are also used as food and medicine. Take 8-10 seed capsules per liter of water, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, and take 3-4 tablespoons a day. It can also be added to warmed milk in the evening to give a peaceful sleep to children. Poppy seeds are also used to help quiet coughs.
Baking with Poppy seed
Tiny black poppy seeds add a nutty flavor to foods and are commonly added to bagels and lemon breads. Generally the poppy seeds that are used for culinary reasons come from the opium poppy, but there is only trace amounts of opiates in the seeds, not enough to raise health concerns.
Nougatine : A Poppy Seed Recipe
While these can simply be enjoyed as a sweet treat, the demulcent and expectorant qualities of the honey and relaxing nervine qualities of the poppy seeds make this helpful for coughs.
1/2 cup of honey
1 cup of chopped nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds
2 heaping teaspoons of poppy seeds
Place the chopped nuts and poppy seeds in a pan and roast them at 450 for about 10 minutes. Check on them every couple of minutes to stir them and check their progress. They are done when the nuts begin to brown and release a pleasant smell.
Next, melt the honey in a medium saucepan on really low heat. Once it is warmed and syrupy then add the nuts and seeds. Cook on low heat for about ten minutes, stirring frequently. Pour this mixture into a pan and then cut into bite size pieces. It will harden as it cools.
References:
Rosalee de la Foret, Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal by, Carlsbad, California : Hay House, Inc. 2017. Print.
Bayton, Dr. Ross and Simon Maughan. RHS Genealogy for Gardeners. London : Quarto, 2017. Print.
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It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use.
This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.
