opium poppy

[jul2873]

Okay, I have not tried this, but in searching the internet I found this comment at http://www.rlcure.com/world.html. It's about half way down the page. After the comment, you can see the advice I found on the legality of it. (It apparently is a legal plant). I was fascinated with it, and feel like going out and sprinkling some poppy seeds on the ground.

"http://www.wemove.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/11/742/2.html
AdamPR
posted June 29, 2007 03:35 PM
On the subject of opiates:

I have been successfully treating my RLS for more than 30 years with the traditional herbal remedy, opium poppy. Its sedative and antispasmodic properties have been well known since ancient times. I have found it far more effective than the modern drugs I have been prescribed. My untreated symptoms are quite severe, but a fraction of a dried poppy head, ground up and taken in the evening, prevents them entirely. Tolerance does not develop.

I have a self-seeding poppy patch in my garden. This a natural cure that costs nothing. I strongly recommended it.

Adam"

Now, on the legality: I found this at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 254AAo0eM6[/b]

"Yes, its legal.

You can find them for sale in countless seed catalogs, although they are rarely listed as 'Opium' Poppies. Some catalogs call them 'Bread-seed' poppies, some are named cultivars grown for their beautiful color variations, and others are bred to have large seed pods, for people who enjoy dried flower arrangements. No matter how different seed companies try to disguise them, the latin name Papaver somniferum gives them away.

It takes a LOT of poppies to produce a little opium, so as long as you're not growing fields of them, I don't think you'll raise any eyebrows. If the authorities come snooping you could always tell them you're growing them to use their seeds in baking, or that you sell the dried pods for flower arranging.

However, if they notice that the green unripe seed pods have suspicious slits on them, oozing with latex, well, you'll have some serious explaining to do! The plants may be legal, but their opium sure isn't.

The reason you won't find the plants for sale at garden centers is that they really hate being transplanted. They don't do very well unless they are seeded directly where they are left to grow, with their roots completely undisturbed.

If you don't want to order the seeds online, just plant the poppy seeds you find at the grocery store in the baking section, since those are opium poppy seeds. Scatter the seeds on top of the soil, lightly rake them in and let them do their thing. They're very low maintenance plants
Source(s):
I am a Herbalist and Horticulturist who has grown many varieties of Opium Poppy"

[ViewsAskew]

Hmmm - maybe I'll plant some in my garden this year!

http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/food ... 367783.php
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/rea ... -drug-test
http://growopium.tumblr.com/
http://www.dianeseeds.com/papaver-poppy.html

And a very amusing Michael Pollan story: http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archi ... made-easy/

[Polar Bear]

The Michael Pollan story is a very entertaining read.