What on earth is with the Poppys?!

They've grown HUGE this year in the UK (at least in west yorkshire anyway!). Why would just the poppys be affected like this though, why haven't other plant got bigger/smaller? I'll go take some pictures when I next get a chance.

Its funny you should mention this actually. In my hometown in Essex I've never seen ONE single poppy growing in fields or countryside areas. Today however, I was on my way out for dinner with family and noticed large quantities of poppy's growing in a nearby field which has never grown them before. I thought that was kinda strange but then on my way home I noticed poppy's growing on small patches of grass next to some extremley busy roads. Each poppy was probably about 30/40cm high - Im not sure how big they usually grow but it seemed pretty strange considering the amount of traffic that passes along these roads each day and the pollution it must cause. I don't know a thing about flowers/poppy's, but I assume they dont just get planted....not next to main roads anyway

Well there's a new industry there for a start. Now you guys won't need to import heroin from Afghanistan. Strike a mortal blow to the Taliban and harvest poppies!

poppys are used in the manufacturing of heroin i know that much

Yeah I knew they were harvested in Afghanistan for the production of heroin, but why the sudden influx of them - especially when they've never grown here before? Its not like they're growing on private land either, the one's I saw were on public fields and roadsides which means some seeds must have been there in the first place for them to grow back, right? And if that's the case, why don't they grow every year

Poppys, if I can remember my biology right, have their seeds carried by birds which is why then can grow in random places... but the amount this year is astounding! Maybe the warm weather is bringing new birds who eat poppies?

This still doesn't explain why they are so big though! Aha! Oriental Poppies (click) ... new trend maybe?

Originally posted by justanothergangster
poppys are used in the manufacturing of heroin i know that much

Not all poppies produce the alkaloids used to create heroin. California Poppies for example do not. The opium poppies, Papaver Somniferum, naturally have codeine, morphine, thebaine, amongst other chemicals. Collectively it's called opium.

Originally posted by FudgeStix
Poppys, if I can remember my biology right, have their seeds carried by birds which is why then can grow in random places... but the amount this year is astounding!

Funny thing about this thread is that I grow poppies and I have had a very bad germination rate this year! Go figure =]

This still doesn't explain why they are so big though! Aha! Oriental Poppies (click) ... new trend maybe?

There are bigger species of poppies then that one actually. I also don't think Papaver Orientale is new, pretty sure that ones been around for a while.

[edit on 10-6-2007 by Cloak and Dagger]

Originally posted by dRuNkEn MuNkEy
Yeah I knew they were harvested in Afghanistan for the production of heroin, but why the sudden influx of them - especially when they've never grown here before?

Where do you mean by "here"? USA? Because USA grows and harvests Alot of opium poppies. Not too mention the prolific non-opium producing Califonia Poppies. US of A's big pharma machine is the biggest player in the "legal" harvesting of opium poppies.

It's true opium poppies are grown in afghan for heroin. They are grown in USA for that purpose as well! China is huge in opium poppies too.

Afghan's heroin production has increased because their oil production has decreased

Opium poppies are a tricky issue. Heroin is made from opium, but so is morphine and codeine, which of course are used medicinally all the time

The sudden influx of poppies either indicates warm climactic conditions, or that local drug dealers are trying to grow their own perhaps?

We don't have a poppy problem, but the pollen levels in the flowering trees were so bad this year, people were getting sick from their allergies. My car was covered with yellow dust. On the news they showed someone hit a cherry branch with a stick and a thick cloud of pollen flew off. It's never been like this before.

The news -- I mean, infotainment -- channel had some scientist on that claimed it was due to climactic shift. The world is warming up and it's going to cause more changes of the sort.

This is the most sensible explanation, for our pollen surplus and your poppies.

Or is Day of the Triffids about to become a fulfilled prophecy?

I recall reading about dry land and lower humidity levels in england which I think are the best conditions for poppies to grow in? I could be wrong though, thats just something I recall running into a while back. So less rain in the spring combined with low humidity in the air would explain naturally growing poppies. Hows the weather been lately?

Originally posted by sy.gunson
The sudden influx of poppies either indicates warm climactic conditions, or that local drug dealers are trying to grow their own perhaps?

Well warmer climate for some native poppy areas may make it too hot.

I don't think there has been an increase in your average small/medium scale underground operation of opium poppies. It's just not cost affective in the market right now.

Originally posted by Gonjo
I recall reading about dry land and lower humidity levels in england which I think are the best conditions for poppies to grow in?

Yeah that's about right. Most poppies like it warm but not too hot. Rather cool during germination.

It's been a very dry and mild spring and winter - and the past couple of day's we've been melting lol

I doubt it has anything to do with drug dealers, unless my grandmas not telling me something hehe

Originally posted by Cloak and Dagger

Originally posted by dRuNkEn MuNkEy
Yeah I knew they were harvested in Afghanistan for the production of heroin, but why the sudden influx of them - especially when they've never grown here before?

Where do you mean by "here"? USA?

By "here", I mean Essex in the UK. I responded to the OP because he was from the UK too - although admittedly I didn't make it clear exactly where Essex is, so my bad

I certainly don't think they're being grown by drug dealers etc, although it wouldn't surprise me in these parts. I just thought it was a bit weird that after living in the same area for over 20 years I'd never seen them growing before - especially next to busy roads and dual-carriage ways

most of the county of lincolnshire is covered in them this year, it is strange that it isnt just here in the UK, most of Europe is seeing a huge increase in poppy plants .

snoopyuk

Just to update this thread slightly, I've noticed in my Garden a lot of wild lilac coloured poppys have self seeded all over my front and back garden.

Also a number of other wild flowers have seeded in my garden from seemingly no-where such as fox gloves, and the herb Thyme? There are a set of allotments behind my house, but why have these plants decided to grow in my garden this year and not any other?