Papaver
somniferum var. Glabrum
Elka/Crone Poppy
I
found seeds for this variety of white-seeded poppy last year and was so
intrigued by the story connected with them that I had to grow them out.
It seems that in a mountainous area of Slovakia, people were unable to
grow any nut trees to produce oil, so they developed this white-seeded
poppy for that purpose. Eventually, when they had more trade with the
outside world, they switched to using walnut oil and gave up growing
this poppy--all but one Crone named Elka living up on a hill. This
poppy seed was saved and named for her. As you can see, it's a beauty,
and it does indeed produce a nice amount of seeds. This classic Moon poppy
has been grown for thousands of years, and was the standard poppy grown
in European witches' gardens.
Its capsules are smooth ("glabrous" = glabrum), of good
size, and in this variety, might have openings and might not. The
flowers are the palest pinkish white or lavender white, although
violet-flowered plants
are a variant that will appear as a minority; there is great genetic
diversity with this plant. The seeds of this type are white to
orange-brown. They are smaller and finer than those of the black-seeded
variety, and instead of being used as a sprinkle on breads, were
pressed for oil in Europe and favored in India as a flavoring and
thickener for soups and sauces. All somniferums are good for Moon work, especially dreams, but this variety is
especially powerful for Moon because of its white color, its antiquity,
and its true Crone associations. Poppy is a plant sacred to Hekate, who
loves her crones. If you want to save pure seeds from this variety,
don't grow other poppies that year. I hope I will have more of these
seeds this fall. In Ayurveda, seeds of this plant are an ingredient in
a bedtime chutney, which could be quite
handy for dreamwork. Info on poppies,
including how to grow them. Top
Bedtime Chutney
This chutney is
traditionally eaten at night, less than one hour before bedtime. In
Ayurveda, it is considered balancing to Pitta and Vata. It pacifies
Vata, especially Prana Vata (the mind), and it pacifies Sadhaka Pitta,
Pitta of the heart and mind. These affect good quality sleep. This is a
good chutney for dreamwork.
1 teaspoon white poppy seeds
1 teaspoon coconut powder (fresh grated is best)
Pinches of ground cumin and turmeric
Small amount of ghee (clarified butter)
Mix white poppy seeds with
coconut powder. Add small amounts of water while mixing to form a thick
paste. Melt ghee in a frying pan until it becomes clear (cloudiness is
gone). This clarity shows that the ghee is at the best temperature to
cook the other ingredients. Add turmeric and cumin and mix
well. Remove from heat immediately and let the
spices simmer off the burner until color and aroma change,
then add the spiced ghee to the poppy seed mixture. Stir well and let
stand 5 minutes. Add a little salt to taste. Put on a little rice or
some crackers. Top
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P.
somniferum var. glabrum
Elka/Crone poppy
100 seeds $3.50
© 2010, 2018
Harold A. Roth; No reproduction without permission
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