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Blue poppies

What are poppies? Poppies or poppy is the common name given to the group of plants belonging to the Papaveraceae Family (from the genus papaver). This family is conformed by about 200 species, being herbaceous plants it's most representative entity and in lesser presence some woody small trees and shrubs. The Papaveraceae Family is well known for being very rich in alkaloids (amines) and, when mature, for their amazing cup shaped flowers that come in the most beautiful colors. Poppies grow in the Northern Hemisphere mainly because of the climate, they can't survive in high temperatures. They are also known for morphine and codeine, this two familiar drugs used in medicine to lessen or stop pain, treat insomnia, along with other uses. There is also a special kind of poppy called Papaver Somniferum from which opium is extracted.

Poppies have been found in Egyptian tombs dating 3000 years back. In Greek mythology a legend tells that Demeter created the poppy after the loss of her daughter Persephone so he could get some sleep. Since those days the healing powers of the poppy and it's consequences if too much is taken have been known. Today, poppies are grown in the United States, Canada, China, in most parts of Europe and in India. There are many meanings for this plant depending on the color and region where it grows, for example: Poppy (oriental) - silence, Poppy (red) - pleasure, consolation, sleep, etc.

There is special kind of poppy that is the Meconopsis. It's a genus containing about 50 species of annuals, biennials and short-lived perennials. They grow in the eastern Himalayas and western China, and only the Welsh poppy (yellow or orange) grows in western Europe and Britain. This genus is unique because the three primary colours (blue, red, yellow) are represented in the cup shaped flowers, but it's the blue ones that seem to have a strange attraction on people. This special kind of Meconopsis are the blue poppies or Himalayan poppies.

There are 3 kinds of blue poppies that we know of: - M. Betonicifolia or Himalayan Blue Poppy - M. Grandis or Tibetan Blue Poppy - M. Simplicifolia

The ones mentioned below are a result of combining species or hybrids as they're called: - M. x Sheldonii "Bobby Masterton" - M. Lingholm - M. x Sheldonii "Jimmy Bayne" - M. Fertile Blue Group (not yet named) - M. x Sheldonii "Slieve Donard" - M. x Sheldonii "Mrs. Jebb" - M. x Sheldonii "Crwedson Hybrid" - M. Barney's Blue (this flower opens pink, lightens in colour and then changes to blue). (M. x Sheldoni is a cross between M Betonicifolia and M. Grandis)

Because of all the mix up all the names did it was decided that all these kinds of blue poppies were named Big Perennial Blue Himalayan Poppies to make it a bit easier.