shopping Poppy seed - one variety
Poppy seed, whole image
[ 816 ]Papaver somniferum

Poppy Seed Whole

1/4 Pound:  $2.58 Pound:  $5.73 
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Wholesale Poppy seed

Papaver somniferum
plant overview
sleeping flower of flanders

Poppy, also known as Iceland poppy, Oriental poppy and opium poppy, gets its botanical name from a Latin word that means “to bring sleep.” The herbaceous plant produces a vibrant red flower that has come to be associated with the blood-stained World War I battlefield at Flanders, and therefore the remembrance of fallen war soldiers. The plant also produces an edible seed, which is used in various world cuisines. In central Europe, for instance, poppy seed is made into a paste as a filling for makowiec, a type of pastry made from rolled yeast bread. Combined with ground coconut, roasted poppy seed is an ingredient in curry paste.

Clicking "learn more" next to each variety will take you to individual product pages for details.

01.
A Bit of Botany

a little botanical information about the poppy plant

description
Papaver somniferum is a member of the Papaveraceae family. This plant has many subspecies or varieties and cultivars. It can be an annual or biennial herb; can range in height from 20 to 60 inches; and be glabrous (smooth) or glaucous (covered with a waxy coating), sometimes with a few spreading bristles. Its stems are slightly branched, with numerous large erect leaves. These leaves can be ovate to oblong in shape; edges can be serrate to dentate-serrate. The leaves are clasping at base, glaucous, with the lower ones pinnatifid (arranged almost feather-like on opposite sides of a common axis). Flowers in variety of hue bloom on long peduncles with nodding buds that expand into erect flowers with 4-8 petals. Colors can be white to purplish, but also pink, blue, violet, or rather more familiarly red.

The poppy's fruit a capsule, ovoid to globose (spherical) in shape, glabrous, 4–6 cm long, 3.5–4 cm in diameter, with 8–12 rayed sessile stigmas. Its seeds oily, ranging in color from white, to dark gray, to black, or even bluish. The plant is in flower in the summer months from July to August.

As mentioned, the colors of the flower can vary widely, as do other physical characteristics, such as number and shape of petals, number of flowers and fruits, seed color and number, the plant's production of opium, etc.

The Papaver somniferum Paeoniflorum group (which is sometimes called Papaver paeoniflorum) is a subtype of opium poppies are grown in many colors and whose flowers are highly double. P. somniferum Laciniatum group (which is sometimes called Papaver laciniatum) is a subtype of opium poppy whose flowers are not only highly double but deeply lobed and appear greatly ruffled, evoking a pompom.

common names & nomenclature
The Latin name of the poppy plant means the "sleep-bringing poppy". The flower's sap was later named opion by the ancient Greeks, which evolved to its modern name of opium.

Also known as:
poppy, opium poppy, common garden poppy

Poppy Seed, the sleeping flower of Flanders

02.
Where in the World

habitat and range for poppy

Papaver somniferum is native and cultivated in the Mediterranean region east to Iran; now cultivated in many tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate countries. Presently known to be cultivated for the opium in India, Iran, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, China, Manchuria, and Asia, and in other parts of Europe and India for the seeds. Cultivated in Japan and Australia as well.

03.
Cultivation & Harvesting

considerations for growing and harvesting poppy

climate
The poppy plant can be found growing in areas ranging from cool temperate wet steppe to subtropical dry to moist forest life zones. The plant does poorly in the humid tropics.

soil
The poppy thrives in rich, well-manured soil.

growing
Papaver somniferum is propagated from seed. These seeds are not as sensitive to temperature as most poppy species, but germinate best at 15°C. The seed is sown in shallow furrows. In some areas poppy seed mixed with sand is spread over tilled fields in early autumn. The fields are then weeded in the spring, usually at that time the poppy has reached a height of about 6 inches. The plants are then thinned to be about 2 feet apart.

They flower in April and May and their capsules are ripe in the summer months of June and July.

harvesting
Harvest the poppy seeds once the seed pod itself has dried and the top has opened up.

preserving
Store dried poppy seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

for educational purposes only

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

please be advised:  Before making any changes to your diet you should always consult with your doctor, especially if you are pregnant, nursing or have existing conditions.

All reviews solely reflect the views and opinions expressed by the reviewer and not that of Monterey Bay Herb Co. We do not verify or endorse any claims made by any reviewer. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.