Debbie T

I am an avid gardener and for many years I grew the variety of papavers called opium poppies. I had no idea it was illegal to grow them, and I used the seed on my homemade breads and of course I loved the flowers and seed heads.

Then I found out it was illegal and stopped growing them as I heard horror stories of gardeners being arrested for growing them (although you can buy seed anywhere) and property seized. I would love to grow them again as they are beautiful. Am I being too cautious about growing them? Would law enforcement really arrest a gardener for growing a small patch of them when it would take a heck of a lot more to make opium?

Gurdur

I have some beautiful poppies that look like Danish flags --- red cross on a white background.

I was actually alarmed to find out they were not a subspecies of the Flanders poppy I thought they were, but instead were a genuine subspecies of Papaver somniforum, the real stuff.



However, I found out that where I live, I'm allowed 70 poppies per 10 square metres of ground, legally (as long of course as they are only there to be admired but not consumed).

I suggest you emigrate.

Sarpedon

Read a book called "Aint nobody's business if you do" its about drugs and other consensual crimes in america. It gives an example of a man who's property was suddenly raided by drug officers. They shot him to death (unarmed) arrested his wife, and seized his property. No drugs were found. Coincidently, various government agencies had tried to acquire his land. He refused to sell and threatened legal action.

Debbie T

Where do you live Gurder? Now that sounds reasonable so that a gardener could grow them without fear of being arrested for growing illegal substances. It's a strange law and ridiculous to enforce it especially when it is obvious the plant is not being grown for "medicinal purposes".

Debbie T

I will try to find that book at local library.

Locally we have a Bainbridge in Bloom garden tours every year. Two years ago I heard that one garden on the tour, that was growing the poppies was turned in to the local police for growing them. I am told the officials didn't bother to do anything about it. But had there been some zealot running the police force they could have done something like seize the home. Homes on Bainbridge are quite pricey.

Gurdur

Germany.

But I am an Australian.

Pyrrho

Lucky bastard! (I'm buggered if I know why I'm here instead. Oh yeah, it has something to do with money....)


Debbie T, definitely find out about the law in your area BEFORE you plant anything. What is "reasonable" has nothing to do with drug laws. With the crazy, psycho, fascist anti-drug laws in the U.S., I'd guess that you would be safest if you either didn't grow such flowers, or you move to a more sane country. After researching the matter on your own, if it seems like it may be legal, it might be worthwhile to speak with an attorney, if you are less than absolutely certain that it is legal.

And Debbie T, Gurdur's suggestion of immigration isn't a bad idea, if you can manage it. Germany is a very beautiful country. (For one thing, they let you grow beautiful flowers, which really brightens up the place!) And all that great German beer everywhere....

Debbie T

Hi Pyrro, I know it is illegal to grow here, that is why I stopped growing it. But get this, you can sell or buy the seed (legally) in seed packets for people to grow. Go figure that one! That was why I grew them before and had no idea they were opium poppies, let alone that the plants were illegal.

It is a stupid law as it would take a lot of the poppies to make opium, so for back yard gardeners this law is ridiculous in my opinion. Oh well, I stopped growing them although people grow them everywhere.

I don't plan on moving out of the country to grow them, I happen to like where I live, even if I don't agree with some of the laws here. I do, however, like that I can complain about them openly. Thanks for you input.

Germany is on my list of countries to visit in my lifetime.

Daisy

Opium poppies are also bread seed and pastry poppies.

I do know that Papaver somniferum cannot be imported to the US, but seed companies based here are allowed to sell them. Johnny's Seeds sells low-morphine poppy seeds in its herb section.

Papaver paeoniflorum, peony-flowered poppies, are really a subspecies of papaver somniferum.

Debbie T

Yes the law is weird, you can sell the seed but it is illegal to grow it. Since the low morphine kind of papaver is still P. somniferum I imagine it is still illegal?

So do you know if P. paeoniflorum is illegal to grow? Did they just change the variety name as I always see the double flowering kinds as P. somniferum?