poppy

Seeds: 2700  / Botanical name: Papaver rhoeas

Dedicated to Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams

The poppy is associated with Morpheus, the god of dreams and sleep. It grows primarily in fields and arable land. In early summer, however, it can also be found along many roadsides. It belongs to the poppy family and its milky sap contains dream-inducing, mildly toxic alkaloids. Unlike its relative, the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), it does not contain morphine, so it is not considered a drug and its cultivation is legal in our region. The common poppy owes its name to its papery blossoms, which clap together in wind and rain. This annual, herbaceous plant with its deep taproots grows upright and reaches an average height of 50 to 60 centimeters. Its distinctive leaves are pinnate and have distinctly toothed edges. The flowering period lasts from May to June/July, and the individual flowers last a maximum of three days, but they are constantly renewed. As a bee-friendly plant, the common poppy attracts many insects during its flowering season.

Natural habitat: The common poppy originates in the temperate zones of North Africa and Asia. However, it has also grown in Europe since the Neolithic period and is therefore considered native here as well.