Papaver somniferum

A native of the eastern Mediterranean opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is a species of the family of poppy family (Papaveraceae). The seed can be used as food and for oil extraction. The plant also results in a milky juice morphine, produced from opium. The botanical name derives from the Latin somniferum = bringing sleep. He refers to the use as a sleep aid for children in ancient Greece. There are numerous cultivars, which differ among other things, through content and composition of alkaloids.

The opium poppy is an annual herbaceous plant, plant height of 30 cm to 1.5 m reach. The round, overflowing stem is rarely branched. The leaves are 5-15 cm long. The plant, except the seeds, is toxic.

The relatively large flower bud is usually 15-25 (10-30) mm long and stands on slender, hairy flower stems. When opening the flower buds fall off the two sepals. The open, but somewhat further, hermaphroditic flowers have a diameter of 5-10 cm. The four white to violet (rarely red) petals are about twice as large as the sepals at the base and have a dark stain. Flowering period is from June to August. The stamens have yellow stamens and anthers 2-4 mm long. The flower is usually a few days and then drop completely dusted their petals. The flowers of Ziermohnrassen can be a different color and have more than four petals.

The spherical capsule fruits contain numerous seeds. Steel blue seeds are most similar to the wild form, whitish seeds contain less oil and are used to produce flour. A variety with gray seeds (Waldviertel Graumohn) is popular in Austria and the protected designation of origin.


Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlafmohn
See Also: sending flowers, online florist