Exploding Poppies
 

I have a patch of poppies, some Californian originally from a packet
of seed but now enthusiastically self-seeding each year, some field
poppies which just appeared and again self-seed, and some very large
deep pink type with a glaucous serrated foliage and a flower almost
like a pompon dahlia. These are about 2 feet tall and the flowers
anything up to 4 inches diameter. Today, when looking out of my
kitchen window, I saw one of these literally explode. All of the
petals were discharged with some force, leaving the seed pod exposed.
In the course of the afternoon, the same thing happened to another 3
of them, although I didn't see them blow. As far as I know, this
hasn't happened in previous seasons and the petals have fallen
naturally. Today's temperature was around 90 degrees with fierce sun
and it's been like that for several days. I'm wondering if this poppy
is native to a hot climate and doesn't normally do its party piece in
the average English summer. Any idea what the variety might be?

"Jupiter" wrote ...
I have a patch of poppies, some Californian originally from a packet
of seed but now enthusiastically self-seeding each year, some field
poppies which just appeared and again self-seed, and some very large
deep pink type with a glaucous serrated foliage and a flower almost
like a pompon dahlia. These are about 2 feet tall and the flowers
anything up to 4 inches diameter. Today, when looking out of my
kitchen window, I saw one of these literally explode. All of the
petals were discharged with some force, leaving the seed pod exposed.
In the course of the afternoon, the same thing happened to another 3
of them, although I didn't see them blow. As far as I know, this
hasn't happened in previous seasons and the petals have fallen
naturally. Today's temperature was around 90 degrees with fierce sun
and it's been like that for several days. I'm wondering if this poppy
is native to a hot climate and doesn't normally do its party piece in
the average English summer. Any idea what the variety might be?


Double Opium Poppies. BTW, it's quite legal to grow them in the UK.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 23:27:58 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Jupiter" wrote ...
I have a patch of poppies, some Californian originally from a packet
of seed but now enthusiastically self-seeding each year, some field
poppies which just appeared and again self-seed, and some very large
deep pink type with a glaucous serrated foliage and a flower almost
like a pompon dahlia. These are about 2 feet tall and the flowers
anything up to 4 inches diameter. Today, when looking out of my
kitchen window, I saw one of these literally explode. All of the
petals were discharged with some force, leaving the seed pod exposed.
In the course of the afternoon, the same thing happened to another 3
of them, although I didn't see them blow. As far as I know, this
hasn't happened in previous seasons and the petals have fallen
naturally. Today's temperature was around 90 degrees with fierce sun
and it's been like that for several days. I'm wondering if this poppy
is native to a hot climate and doesn't normally do its party piece in
the average English summer. Any idea what the variety might be?


Double Opium Poppies. BTW, it's quite legal to grow them in the UK.


I'd better not slit the seed pods, though????

"Jupiter" wrote ...
"Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Jupiter" wrote ...
I have a patch of poppies, some Californian originally from a packet
of seed but now enthusiastically self-seeding each year, some field
poppies which just appeared and again self-seed, and some very large
deep pink type with a glaucous serrated foliage and a flower almost
like a pompon dahlia. These are about 2 feet tall and the flowers
anything up to 4 inches diameter. Today, when looking out of my
kitchen window, I saw one of these literally explode. All of the
petals were discharged with some force, leaving the seed pod exposed.
In the course of the afternoon, the same thing happened to another 3
of them, although I didn't see them blow. As far as I know, this
hasn't happened in previous seasons and the petals have fallen
naturally. Today's temperature was around 90 degrees with fierce sun
and it's been like that for several days. I'm wondering if this poppy
is native to a hot climate and doesn't normally do its party piece in
the average English summer. Any idea what the variety might be?


Double Opium Poppies. BTW, it's quite legal to grow them in the UK.


I'd better not slit the seed pods, though????


You don't slit them so much as deep scratches breaking the skin vertically
down the sides, when I tried it just to see they then bled a white sap which
hardened overnight. In a hot climate this is the raw opium.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 16:00:40 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:



You don't slit them so much as deep scratches breaking the skin vertically
down the sides, when I tried it just to see they then bled a white sap which
hardened overnight. In a hot climate this is the raw opium.

Nah, not these days. On the telly the other night, in Afghanistan they
were gathering the seed heads by the truckload, squeezing out the sap
in a big press (think grapes etc) and collecting it by the drum-full!
Much more 21st century.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net