It may come as a surprise to learn that the opium poppy
(Papaver somniferum) grows wild in the United Kingdom, as it is widely assumed
that this is a plant that is cultivated in the Middle East and countries such
as Afghanistan, where its cultivation for heroin production is a major cause of
the troubles in that country.
However, opium poppies can indeed be found throughout
Britain, usually because seeds have escaped from gardens. It is not illegal to
grow opium poppies, but you will break the law if you try to extract opium (in
any form) from them.
The opium poppy grows upright to a maximum height of 36
inches (90 centimetres). The bluish-green leaves are broad-shaped with
shallow-toothed lobes. The flowers, which are pink with dark centres, grow to
seven inches (18 centimetres) across. They appear between June and August. The
impressive flowers are the main reason why the opium poppy has been used as a
garden plant. The seed capsules are globular and have a fluted cap.
The narcotic properties of the plant account for its
botanical name “somniferum” , or “sleep giving”, Somnus being the Roman god of
sleep.
The opium poppy has been used throughout recorded history
for many innocent purposes as well as its less welcome applications. It should
also be remembered that opium is the source of beneficial drugs, including
codeine and morphine, as well as harmful ones such as heroin, although the
latter was originally developed for medicinal purposes and gets its name
because it was believed to be “heroic”.
Among the innocent purposes are the use of its seeds for
flavouring bread and cakes, and the extraction of oil (from the seeds) that has
a variety of culinary and industrial uses. It is the latex of the opium plant
that is refined to produce drugs.
© John Welford
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