Poppy Pods, Jumbo

The Plant: The poppy is an annual plant.  New seed must be planted each season. From a small seed, it grows, flowers, and bears fruit (a pod) only once. The entire growth cycle for most varieties of this plant takes about 120 days. The tiny seeds (like the seeds on a poppy seed roll) germinate quickly in warm air and sufficient soil moisture. In less than 6 weeks, the young plant emerges from the soil, grows a set of four leaves, and resembles a small cabbage in appearance. The lobed, dentate (jagged-edged) leaves are glaucous green with a dull gray or blue tint.

The main stem of a fully matured poppy plant ranges between 2 and 5 feet in height. The green leaves are oblong, toothed and lobed and vary between 4 to 15 inches in length at maturity. The matured leaves have no commercial value except for use as animal feed.

As the plant grows tall, the main stem terminates in a flower bud. During the development of the bud, the peduncle portion of the stem elongates and forms a distinctive hook that causes the bud to be turned upside down. As the flower develops, the peduncle straightens and the buds point upward. A day or two after the buds first point upward, the two outer segments of the bud, called sepals, fall away, exposing the flower petals. At first, the exposed flower blossom is crushed and crinkled, but the petals soon expand and become smooth in the sun. Poppy flowers have four petals. The petals may be single or double and are either white, pink, reddish purple, crimson red, or variegated.

Poppy plants generally flower after about 90 days of growth and continue to flower for 2 to 3 weeks. The petals eventually drop to reveal a small, round, green pod which continues to develop. These pods (also called seed pods, capsules, bulbs, or poppy heads) are either oblate, elongated, or globular and mature to about the size of a chicken egg. The oblate-shaped pods are more common in Southeast Asia

Background: A traditional and contemporary ingredient in recipes, adding to the decorative and nutritional quality of a variety of foods. Can be added to muffin, cake and pastry recipes, often without adjusting the recipe.

Seed is processed in decoction for external, emollient use.

Providing a calming effect in states of irritation, poppy seed in small amounts produce infusions and decoctions that promote rest and have the action of a nervine.