Papaver rhoeas - Grow, Care & Eat Corn Poppies

How to grow Corn Poppies






From http://www.eattheweeds.com/corn-poppy/

"For a plant with such a notorious relative the Corn Poppy has many uses. Young leaves are cooked and used like spinach, or raw as flavoring in soups and salads. The petals are used to make a red syrup used in soups or for coloring. The seeds can be used in cakes, bread, rolls, or  pressed for their oil which is an excellent substitute for olive oil. Who as a child (or older) played with the poppy seeds falling off a roll? The rosette of basal leaves before the plant flowers is excellent raw as well. The unripe ovaries are also edible raw."

Most of the poppy family have at least a few edible parts and since the flowers come in very bright colors, they are useful as dye or even paint pigment.

Corn poppies are so pretty!  I wish I had gotten around to planting mine seeds that I bought.