Papaver somniferum

Posted on 21 Nov, 2009 8 comments

Also known as; Opium poppy

Plant folklore; Present in settlements throughout Europe
dating from 4000BC. Sacred to Hypnos the
Greek god of sleep. Given to children in ancient Egypt to stop them crying.
Associated with Aphrodite. A strong aphrodisiac.
Sending a dog to retrieve a piece of poppy cake would provide the direction from which true love would appear. Scattering poppy seeds round the bed on St Andrew’s night would provide dreams of a maiden’s future husband.
Putting a question about love in an empty seed pod under the pillow would provide the answer in a dream.
Eating a cake made with poppy seeds on New Year’s Eve would produce abundance for the following year.
Hide poppy seeds in a bride’s shoe to make her infertile.
Soak poppy seeds in wine for fifteen days then drink this potion for 5 days whilst fasting, to be able to become invisible at will.
Vampires are compelled to count poppy seeds. If being pursued….scatter poppy seeds on the ground behind you and the vampire will stop and count the seeds, while you get away.

Factual inf: Source of morphine and heroin

Image borrowed from Chrispook!

Comments

Tulsalady26

Thankyou for your interesting blogs Amblealice isn't folklore wonderful. I'm fasinated.

21 Nov, 2009

Amblealice

Thank you Tulsalady.....in some instances they are "out of this world"....lol

I have just found another piece on the opium poppy:-

"although ordinary poppy seeds are only weakly narcotic, there was a case of a baker who suffered delirium after drinking two litres a night of a tea made from poppy seeds bought to put on the rolls. It was discovered that the regular order of 3kg per week of poppy seeds had been increased to 25kg"

food for thought eh!...so if your local baker looks a bit "boss eyed"....you know what he has been up to...:)))))

21 Nov, 2009

Tulsalady26

Brilliant keep em coming LOL

21 Nov, 2009