On 27 May 2004 11:34:53 -0700, (jody) wrote:

Can anyone tell me is this is Papaver Somniferum:

http://www.atman.net/pod.jpg

Thanks in advance for the help.

papaver Somniferum's are identified by their lettice like silvery
blue/green color, and single, double or shaggy "peony" like flowers.
When nicked, white sap comes from the pods, and these are opium
poppies. Your picture is indeed the orange oriental poppy that has
ferny, clump like leaves and large, paper mache like flowers with blue
black centers and stamen. The pod you have left has thousands of tiny
little seeds that will eventually grow into more little plantlets if
allowed to ripen and become viable. The same thing on the Papaver
Somniferum, but these once they become ripe and harden can be used on
muffins or rolls. Bread seed poppies they're called sometimes. Once
they fall from the pods, they need stratification thru winter and will
come up by the hundreds. Beautiful flowers. All sorts of shades of
reds, pinks, white, no blues or purples,

I have one magnificent papaver somniferum that returned for me and
it's a singular flowered kind with a blue center. I hope for the peony
type like my grandmammy grew for over 68 years.
madgardener