Poppy flower ~ symbol

Poppies are one of the most attractive wild flowers in the nature. With their soft gracious chalices, paper-like – they are waving with every blow of the wind. They are honored from the poets and writers, due to many qualities and symbol meanings. 

Poppies are known even in ancient medicine, because they contain little dozes of codeine, which makes them pain-relieving. 

We meet them in many colors – crimson red, vivid orange, yellow and pure white. 

The most important symbols of poppies are: 

~ dreams, peace, inner balance 

~ recovery and sleep 

~ comfort in death 

~ imagination 

~ signs and visions in a dream 

~ Resurrection and eternal life 

~ loving memory for someone lost 

All kind of poppies have the scientific Latin name “Papaver”. Some of the most widely spread kinds for gardening are Oriental poppies (Pappaver Orientale); They are not capricious flower, require dry soil and require little watering. They can be used in medicine, for the well known poppy seeds, important ingredient in the kitchen, (its used also for making tea) and for landscaping. It`s a great flower for drawings, decorating home or a villa in the mountain. 

More about ~

Poppy comes from the Greek word “rhoeas” meaning “red”. Papaver is Latin, word derived from “pap” - the opium poppy's milky juice. Oriental poppies contain opium which has been used for centuries. The corn poppy does not contain opium.

Poppies were found in Egyptian tombs dating back 3,000 years. According to the Romans the poppy could heal a love wound and they used it for witchcraft. The ancient Greeks used poppies as a love charm and thought that they were a sign of fertility and brought health and strength so Greek atheletes were given mixtures of poppy seeds, honey, and wine.