Cultivation - Somniferum? or not?

[cooper512]

Hey DT SWIM was wondering if any of you could help SWIM. SWIM was wondering if the poppies growing around his town were the opium bearing type. SWIM think they are but can someone please confirm. peace young warriors.x

Some of them hair a bit of a hairy stem like this.


Some are more like this.


Close up

[Lippmannk1]

Those look like opium poppys to swim!

[Duster]

Smoke some and find out!

Okay probably not the safest method but it works...

[smartypants2300]

Yup based on swim's experience, those are papaver somniferum.

[Duster]

For sake of curiosity, is there any non papaver somniferum plant out there that LOOKS like one?

SWIM only asks because every other poppy he has seen looks much different than the opium producing kinds. What could someone get those confused with?

[sasafrass]

Yes. A pap. with common name "corn" poppy. Also annual. Pods ~ size golf balls. They have very "hairy" stems, compared to smooth stems. That used to be dea distinction of the two, short of a chemical test. Not as hard and fast a rule anymore. Pap. S. can be any where from ~ 1% to 15+% active alkaloids. Plant breeders. You gotta love um. Pap. Brac. is legal, and very high in theabaine. Starting material for a number of semi synthetic drugs.

[timster7]

Yes, thebaine is a starting point, but very hard to refine. Don't ingest unless the leaves were smooth. Only sure-fire way to tell.

[StreetProphet]

I thought another sure-fire way to tell was if the seeds were shaped like kidney beans? Am I not correct? Pap Som seeds are kidney bean shaped, no?

[timster7]

Yes, you are correct. The question is whether other Papaver's do to. I think several species do.

[chinpokomaster]

In short, yes, those are Opium Poppies.

[paragoric]

I agree, those certainly do appear to be papaver somniferum, the leaves should not have jagged edges, and should be broad..the latex should be bitter and kinda hot on the tongue, drying to a brown or black...those appear to be the self seeding type, note the holes underneath the crown, and these are not usually "ass-kickers" , but they will do in a pinch if someone was addicted to pod tea...start with a low dose as they could be high thebaine and those might make swim sick, other than that, they appear good, for those who might enjoy such things (like my pet goldfish)...pg

[chinpokomaster]

Have to say, that whoever said Somnis were completely smooth got it wrong, too. The stems aren't covered in hairs like some other varieties such as P. Orientale, but they can grow thick spikey hairs near the head.

[timster7]

Somniferum have smooth leaves. The bottom of the leaf may have small hairs on the ridge, but that's it on leaves. Hair is recessive in Somni's. It occurs in miniscule amounts. Read the posts before claiming someone is wrong.

[chinpokomaster]

Thought I read ""hairy" stems, compared to smooth stems". Apologies.

[timster7]

No worries.