Black-Seeded Poppy Seeds for the Witch's Garden from

Papaver somniferum var. nigrum Papaver somniferum var. Nigrum
Black-seeded Poppy
Poppy has a long history of association with Wise Women and wortcunning and for that reason was very often grown in a witch's garden. Some people say that poppy was an ingredient in flying ointments, there to counteract the deadly effects of baneful herbs. The lore of flying ointments has been lost, but in Eclectic Medicine, the botanical medicine that once reigned in the US, poppy was considered an antidote to belladonna. Don't experiment with it, though. Poppy seeds are classically used in confusion magic - sprinkle the seeds around the exterior of your home to cause confusion to spirits of ill will. In folklore, vampires were warded off by sprinkling poppy seeds, as they were obligated to stop and count them. Poppies are also associated with Binah (Understanding), a combination of Mother/Crone near the top of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.

This violet-flowered Moon herb is closest to the wild type. Its pods are more oval-shaped, smaller, and darker than those of other varieties. Openings in the pod allow the seeds to be removed without any drilling or breaking. Another advantage of this plant is that because it is less domesticated, it is hardier than the other varieties. That means that the whole plant also looks weedier, which can be an advantage for cottage gardens.Info on poppies, including how to grow them. Top

Papaver somniferum var. nigrum
Black-Seeded Poppy
200 seeds $3.75