The farmer takes his crop of opium to the nearest village where he will sell it to the dealer who offers him the best price. Recently, opium has been grown in Latin America, notably Colombia and Mexico. It flourishes in dry, warm climates and the vast majority of opium poppies are grown in a narrow, 4,500-mile stretch of mountains extending across central Asia from Turkey through Pakistan and Burma. Opium is grown mainly by impoverished farmers on small plots in remote regions of the world. Today, heroin’s long journey to drug traffickers begins with the planting of opium poppy seeds. Its cultivation spread along the Silk Road, from the Mediterranean through Asia and finally to China where it was the catalyst for the Opium Wars of the mid-1800s. Many countries began to grow and process opium to expand its availability and to decrease its cost. As people learned of the power of opium, demand for it increased. The Sumerians referred to it as Hul Gil, the "joy plant." The Sumerians soon passed it on to the Assyrians, who in turn passed it on to the Egyptians. when the opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia). The earliest reference to opium growth and use is in 3,400 B.C. As misused drugs, they are often smoked, sniffed, or injected. However, they are some of the most addictive substances known to man. Narcotics are used therapeutically to treat pain, suppress cough, alleviate diarrhea, and induce anesthesia. The term “narcotic” refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic substitutes. If the seed head is desired for arranging then allow the seed head to form before harvesting.The poppy plant, Papaver somniferum, produces opium, a powerful narcotic whose derivatives include morphine, codeine, heroin, and oxycodone. Sear the ends of the stems after cutting to lengthen the vase-life of your blooms to 7-10 days. This plant self sows so allow it to go to seed if you don’t mind it spreading in your yard, or remove the stems before they set seed.Ĭut Flower: Harvest when buds begin to crack open. Be careful not to disturb the roots when transplanting and don’t keep your plants in the tray for longer than 9 weeks which can lead to plant stress. Growing Tips: If starting seeds indoors, cover with a fine vermiculite and use below tray watering methods that won’t disrupt the tiny seed on the soil surface. Late-Season Seeding: To grow this poppy as a perennial, start seed indoors 10 weeks before your last frost and transplant outside in fall. Direct seeding is not recommended for this crop. Germination: 14-21 days at 65-70F, require light to germinateĮarly-Season Seeding: To grow this as an annual, start seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost date and transplant after the danger of frost has passed. USDA Zones: 2-9 (annual, short-lived perennial) How to Grow Soil Preference: well-draining soil, pH 6.5-7.5 Iceland is one of the longest lasting cut flowers of the poppies but it doesn’t tolerate heat as well as other poppies. Blooms are eye-catching in the garden and both blooms and seed heads can be used in floral arrangements. Blooms will appear late-spring and early-summer attracting pollinators and are deer resistant. The delicate iceland poppy petals come in a mix of yellow, white, peach and orange.
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