Tropaeolum – Nasturtium

Balcony grown in a small hanging basket from seed.

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Tropaeolum /trɵˈpiːələm/, commonly known as nasturtium (/næˈstɜrʃ(i)əm/; literally “nose-twister” or “nose-tweaker”), is a genus of roughly 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants. It was named by Carl Linnaeus and is the only genus in the family Tropaeolaceae. The nasturtiums received their common name because they produce an oil that is similar to that of watercress (Nasturtium officinale).

The genus Tropaeolum, native to South and Central America, includes several very popular garden plants, the most commonly grown being T. majus, T. peregrinum and T. speciosum. One of the hardiest species is T. polyphyllum from Chile, the perennial roots of which can survive the winter underground at altitudes of 3,300 metres (10,000 ft).

Plants in this genus have showy, often intensely bright flowers, and rounded, peltate (shield-shaped) leaves with the petiole in the centre. The flowers are bisexual and zygomorphic, with five petals, a superior three-carpelled ovary, and a funnel-shaped nectar spur at the back, formed by modification of one of the five sepals.

Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Brassicales
Family:	Tropaeolaceae
Genus:	Tropaeolum L.

History

The first Tropaeolum species was imported into Spain by the Spanish botanist Nicolás Monardes. He published an account in 1569 entitled Joyful News out of the Newe Founde Worlde in which he described, among other things, the plants and animals discovered in South America. The English herbalist John Gerard reports having received seeds of the plant from Europe in his 1597 book Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes. Tropaeolum majus was named by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who chose the genus name because the plant reminded him of an ancient custom. After victory in battle, the Romans used to set up a trophy pole called a tropaeum (from the Greek tropaion, source of English “trophy“). On this the armour and weapons of the vanquished foe were hung. Linnaeus was reminded of this by the plant as the round leaves resembled shields and the flowers, blood-stained helmets.

Nasturtiums were once known commonly as “Indian cresses” because they were introduced from the Americas, known popularly then as the Indies, and used like cress as salad ingredients. John Gerard called the plant “Indian Cresses” in his herbal. He wrote: “unto the backe part (of the flower) doth hange a taile or spurre, such as hath the Larkes heele, called in Latine Consolida regalis. He was comparing the flowers of Indian cress to those of forking larkspur (Consolida regalis) of the buttercup family. J R R Tolkien commented that an alternative anglicization of the name was “nasturtian” rather than “nasturtium”.

Description

Tropaeolum is a genus of dicotyledonous annual or perennial plants, often with somewhat succulent stems and sometimes tuberous roots. The alternate leaves are hairless, peltate and entire or palmately lobed. The petioles or leaf stalks are long and in many species are able to twine round other stems to provide support. The flowers are bisexual and showy, set singly on long stalks in the axils of the leaves. They have five sepals, the uppermost of which is elongated into a nectar spur. The five petals are clawed, with the lower three unlike the upper two. The eight stamens are in two whorls of unequal length and the superior ovary has three segments and three stigmas on a single style. The fruit is naked and nut-like, with three single seed segments.

Tropaeolum tuberosum

The most common flower in cultivation is a hybrid of T. majus, T. minus and T. peltophorum, and is commonly known as the nasturtium (and occasionally anglicized as nasturtian). It is mostly grown from seed as a half-hardy annual and both single and double varieties are available. It comes in a range of forms and colours including cream, yellow, orange and red, solid in colour or striped and often with a dark blotch at the base of the petals. It is vigorous and easily grown and does well in sun. It thrives in poor soil and dry conditions, whereas in rich soil it tends to produce much leafy growth and few flowers. Some varieties adopt a bush form while others scramble over and through other plants and are useful for planting in awkward spots or for covering fences and trellises.

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit:

• ‘Alaska Series’
• ‘Hermine Grashoff’
• ‘Whirlybird Series’

The blue nasturtium (Tropaeolum azureum) is a tender species from Chile which has violet-blue flowers with white eyes that can be as much as 4 cm (1.6 in) across

Tropaeolum brachyceras has 2.5 cm (1 in) yellow flowers with purplish markings on wiry, climbing stems. It is a half hardy perennial from Chile and may remain dormant for several years before being sparked into growth by some unknown trigger factor.

Tropaeolum hookerianum is a tuberous-rooted species from Chile. There are two subspecies, T. h. austropurpureum which has violet-purple flowers and T. h. pilosum with yellow flowers.

The Canary creeper (Tropaeolum peregrinum) is a trailing and climbing half-hardy annual species with wiry stalks and palmately lobed leaves. The pale yellow, fringed flowers are borne on long stalks. It originated from Peru but may first have been cultivated in the Canary Islands before being introduced into Western Europe.

Wreath nasturtium (Tropaeolum polyphyllum) is a prostrate plant originating from Argentina and Chile. It has silvery, deeply lobed leaves and a profusion of small, bright yellow flowers on long trailing stalks. After flowering, the plant dies back. It is a perennial with underground rhizomes which send up new shoots at intervals. In a suitable sunny location with well drained soil, it will survive for several years. It is a very hardy species; the tubers can grow at depths of 60 cm (24 in) enabling the plant to survive at altitudes of as much as 3,300 metres (10,000 ft) in the Andes.

The flame flower (Tropaeolum speciosum) is well adapted to cool, moist climates and notoriously does well in Scotland. It sends up shoots which thread their way through hedges and shrubs and which, when they emerge into the light, bear brilliant red flowers among small, five or six-lobed leaves. It is difficult to establish but is an attractive garden plant when it thrives. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Three-coloured Indian cress (Tropaeolum tricolor) is another tuberous, climbing species grown for its attractive red, purple and yellow tubular flowers. It comes from Chile and Bolivia and is a reliable winter-growing species.

Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) is a perennial climbing plant from the Andes grown for its tuberous roots. It has been cultivated since ancient times and depictions of it are found at archaeological sites pre-dating the Incas. It has leaves with five to seven lobes and small, long-spurred, red and yellow flowers. The tubers have an unpleasant smell when raw which disappears on cooking. It is frost-hardy and produces crops of 30 tons per hectare at a height of 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) above sea level. The cultivar T. tuberosum lineamaculatum ‘Ken Aslet’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Species that originated from the coastal areas and from the lower foothills make most of their growth in winter whereas the true alpine species are summer growers. Tuberous Tropaeolum species are well known for occasionally remaining dormant for one or more years. The species with underground rhizomes and tubers can be propagated from these while other species are best raised from seed. Fresh seed is favoured by many growers but dried seed is also often successful. Seed from the winter growing species should be sown in the autumn while the summer growing species are best sown in the spring in well-drained compost and covered with 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) of grit or sand. The containers should be kept at below 4 °C (39 °F) until the seedlings appear in about a month, as too high a temperature inhibits germination.

Uses

Culinary

All parts of T. majus are edible. The flower has most often been consumed, making for an especially ornamental salad ingredient; it has a slightly peppery taste reminiscent of watercress, and is also used in stir fry. The flowers contain about 130 mg vitamin C per 100 grams (3.5 oz)^] about the same amount as is contained in parsley.

Moreover, they contain up to 45 mg of lutein per 100 gr, which is the highest amount found in any edible plant. The unripe seed pods can be harvested and dropped into spiced vinegar to produce a condiment and garnish, sometimes used in place of capers.

Mashua (T. tuberosum) produces an edible underground tuber that is a major food source in parts of the Andes.

Herbal medicine

Nasturtiums have been used in herbal medicine for their antiseptic and expectorant qualities. They are said to be good for chest colds and to promote the formation of new blood cells. T. majus has been used in herbal medicine for respiratory and urinary tract infections.

Taxonomy

Tropaeolum was previously placed in the family Tropaeolaceae along with two other genera, Magallan and Trophaeastrum. The monotypic genus Magallan was characterised by having winged fruit, and the two species of Trophaeastrum lacked spurs. The genus Tropaeolum was diagnosed only by the absence of the characteristics of the other two genera. A molecular study undertaken in 2000 found Tropaeolum to be paraphyletic when the other two genera are segregated, so Magallan and Trophaeastrum were reduced to synonyms of Tropaeolum. Tropaeolaceae was thus rendered monogeneric, a family of only one genus.

Species

“The Plant List”, a collaboration between the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew includes the following accepted names of Tropaeolum species names. Some that are under review, are here marked “U”.

Tropaeolum adpressum Tropaeolum albiflorum – U Tropaeolum argentinum Tropaeolum asplundii Tropaeolum atrocapillare Tropaeolum atrosanguineum – U Tropaeolum azureum Tropaeolum beuthii Tropaeolum bicolor Tropaeolum bogotense – U Tropaeolum boliviense – U Tropaeolum brachyceras Tropaeolum brasiliense Tropaeolum brideanum Tropaeolum buchenavianum – U Tropaeolum calcaratum Tropaeolum calvum Tropaeolum capillare Tropaeolum carchense Tropaeolum ciliatum Tropaeolum cirrhipes Tropaeolum cochabambae Tropaeolum concavum Tropaeolum concinneum – U Tropaeolum canariense Tropaeolum crenatiflorum Tropaeolum cubio – U Tropaeolum curvirostre – U Tropaeolum cuspidatum Tropaeolum dawei – U Tropaeolum deckerianum Tropaeolum denticualtum – U

Tropaeolum dicolorum – U Tropaeolum dipetalum Tropaeolum elzae – U Tropaeolum emarginatum Tropaeolum ferreyrae Tropaeolum fintelmannii Tropaeolum flavipilum – U Tropaeolum garciae – U Tropaeolum harlingii Tropaeolum hayneanum Tropaeolum hirsutum – U Tropaeolum hirtifolium – U Tropaeolum hjertingii Tropaeolum hookerianum – U Tropaeolum hughesae – U Tropaeolum huigrense Tropaeolum incisum Tropaeolum integrifolium – U Tropaeolum jarrattii – U Tropaeolum jilesii Tropaeolum karstenii – U Tropaeolum kerneisinum Tropaeolum killipii – U Tropaeolum kingii Tropaeolum klotzschii – U Tropaeolum kuntzeanum Tropaeolum lasseri Tropaeolum lehmannii – U Tropaeolum leichtlinii – U Tropaeolum leonis Tropaeolum leptophyllum Tropaeolum lindenii – U Tropaeolum longiflorum

Tropaeolum longifolium – U Tropaeolum looseri Tropaeolum macrophyllum – U Tropaeolum maculifolium – U Tropaeolum magnificum Tropaeolum majus Tropaeolum marginatum Tropaeolum menispermifolium Tropaeolum mexiae – U Tropaeolum meyeri Tropaeolum minus Tropaeolum moritzianum Tropaeolum morreanum – U Tropaeolum myriophyllum Tropaeolum naudinii – U Tropaeolum nuptae-jucundae Tropaeolum orinocense Tropaeolum orthoceras – U Tropaeolum oxalidanthum – U Tropaeolum papillosum Tropaeolum parvifolium – U Tropaeolum pellucidum – U Tropaeolum peltophorum Tropaeolum pendulum Tropaeolum pentagonum Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Tropaeolum peregrinum Tropaeolum polyphyllum Tropaeolum popelari – U Tropaeolum porifolium Tropaeolum pubescens Tropaeolum purpureum

Tropaeolum reichianum – U Tropaeolum reineckeanum – U Tropaeolum repandum – U Tropaeolum rhizophorum – U Tropaeolum rhomboideum Tropaeolum sanctae-catharinae Tropaeolum scheuerianum – U Tropaeolum schillingii – U Tropaeolum schlimii – U Tropaeolum seemannii Tropaeolum sessilifolium Tropaeolum smithii Tropaeolum sparrei – U Tropaeolum speciosum Tropaeolum steyermarkianum Tropaeolum stipulatum Tropaeolum tenellum – U Tropaeolum tenuirostre – U Tropaeolum traceyae – U Tropaeolum trialatum Tropaeolum trialatum Tropaeolum tricolor Tropaeolum tricolori-brachyceras – U Tropaeolum trilobum Tropaeolum trilobum Tropaeolum tuberosum Tropaeolum umbellatum Tropaeolum unilobatum – U Tropaeolum wagnerianum Tropaeolum warmingianum Tropaeolum warscewiczii – U Tropaeolum willinkii

Arugula

These, in the photo, were grown on my balcony from seed in a shallow flat container.

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Eruca sativa (syn. E. vesicaria subsp. sativa (Miller) Thell., Brassica eruca L.) is an edible annual plant, commonly known as salad rocket, roquette, rucola, rugula, colewort, and, in the United States, arugula. It is sometimes conflated with Diplotaxis tenuifolia, the perennial wall rocket, another plant of the Brassicaceae family, which in the past was used in the same manner. Eruca sativa, which is widely popular as a salad vegetable, is a species of Eruca native to the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal in the west to Syria, Lebanon and Turkey in the east.^] The Latin adjective sativa in the plant’s binomial is derived from satum, the supine of the verb sero, meaning “to sow”, indicating that the seeds of the plant were sown in gardens. Eruca sativa differs from E. vesicaria in having early deciduous sepals.^] Some botanists consider it a subspecies of Eruca vesicaria: E. vesicaria subsp. sativa. Still others do not differentiate between the two.

Other common names include garden rocket, or more simply rocket (British, Australian, Canadian, South African and New Zealand English), and eruca. The English common name, rocket, derives from the French roquette, a diminutive of the Latin word eruca, which designated an unspecified plant in the Brassicaceae family (probably a type of cabbage). Arugula, the common name now widespread in the United States, entered American English from non-standard (dialect) Italian. (The standard Italian word is rucola, a diminutive of the Latin “eruca”). The Oxford English Dictionary dates the first appearance of “arugula” in American English to a 1960 New York Times article by food editor and prolific cookbook writer, Craig Claiborne,

Eruca sativa grows 20–100 centimetres (8–39 in) in height. The leaves are deeply pinnately lobed with four to ten small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. The flowers are 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) in diameter, arranged in a corymb in typical Brassicaceae fashion; with creamy white petals veined with purple, and with yellow stamens; the sepals are shed soon after the flower opens. The fruit is a siliqua (pod) 12–35 millimetres (0.5–1.4 in) long with an apical beak, and containing several seeds (which are edible). The species has a chromosome number of 2n = 22.

Ecology

Eruca sativa typically grows on dry, disturbed ground and is also used as a food by the larvae of some moth species, including the Garden Carpet moth. Eruca sativa roots are also susceptible to nematode infestation.

Cultivation and history

A pungent, leafy green vegetable resembling a longer-leaved and open lettuce, rocket is rich in vitamin C and potassium. In addition to the leaves, the flowers, young seed pods and mature seeds are all edible.

Grown as an edible herb in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, it was mentioned by various classical authors as an aphrodisiac, most famously in a poem long ascribed to Virgil, Moretum, which contains the line: “et veneris revocans eruca morantuem” (“the rocket excites the sexual desire of drowsy people”). Some writers assert that for this reason during the Middle Ages it was forbidden to grow rocket in monasteries. It was listed, however, in a decree by Charlemagne of 802 as one of the pot herbs suitable for growing in gardens.Gillian Reilly, author of the Oxford Companion to Italian Food, states that because of its reputation as a sexual stimulant, it was “prudently mixed with lettuce, which was the opposite” (i.e., calming or even soporific). Reilly continues that “nowadays rocket is enjoyed innocently in mixed salads, to which it adds a pleasing pungency”.

Rocket was traditionally collected in the wild or grown in home gardens along with such herbs as parsley and basil. It is now grown commercially from the Veneto to Iowa to Brazil, and is available for purchase in supermarkets and farmers’ markets throughout the world. It is also naturalised as a wild plant away from its native range in temperate regions around the world, including northern Europe and North America. In India, the mature seeds are known as Gargeer.

Growing rocket in mild frost conditions stymies the growth of the plant, as well as turning the green leaves red.

Uses

Rocket has a pungent, peppery flavor that is exceptionally strong for a leafy green. It is frequently used in salads, often mixed with other greens in a mesclun. It is also used raw with pasta or meats in northern Italy and in western Slovenia (especially in the Slovenian Istria). In Italy, raw rocket is often added to pizzas just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it will not wilt in the heat. It is also used cooked in Puglia, in Southern Italy, to make the pasta dish cavatiéddi, “in which large amounts of coarsely chopped rocket are added to pasta seasoned with a homemade reduced tomato sauce and pecorino“ as well as in “many unpretentious recipes in which it is added, chopped, to sauces and cooked dishes” or in a sauce (made by frying it in olive oil and garlic) used a condiment for cold meats and fish. In the Slovenian Littoral, it is often combined with boiled potatoes, used in a soup, or served with the cheese burek, especially in the town of Koper.

A sweet, peppery digestive alcohol called rucolino is made from rocket on the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. This liqueur is a local specialty enjoyed in small quantities following a meal in the same way as a limoncello or grappa.

In Brazil, where its use is widespread, rocket is eaten raw in salads. A popular combination is rocket mixed with mozzarella cheese (normally made out of buffalo milk) and sun-dried tomatoes.

In Egypt the plant is commonly eaten raw as a side dish with many meals, with ful medames for breakfast, and regularly accompanies local seafood dishes.

In West Asia and Northern India, Eruca seeds are pressed to make taramira oil, used in pickling and (after aging to remove acridity) as a salad or cooking oil. The seed cake is also used as animal feed.

Sweet Pea

Did you know? Currently, almost every cultivar of the sweet pea is available in international markets, except yellow.

 

Sweet pea is a plant native to the Mediterranean region. Since they are annual climbers and grow in a wide spectrum of colors, they grow for a long period of time, and are the first choice for individual cut flowers and/or exquisite floral decorations.

Kingdom – Plantae

Division – Magnoliophyta

Class – Magnoliopsida

Order – Fabales

Family – Fabaceae

Subfamily – Faboideae

Tribe – Vicieae

Genus – Lathyrus

Species – odoratus

All sweet pea flower varieties are not fragrant, but the ones that are, live up to their namesake. This particular strain of flowers contains up to 160 species.

One must keep a constant eye on the flower throughout its lifespan, as it is prone to all kinds of pests and insects. Unlike the edible pea, seeds of this flower are not edible, and are known to cause toxicity.

Growing Sweet Peas

•  Choose a site in full sun with rich, well-drained soil.
• Sweet Pea vines need full sun and rich, well drained soil.
• Work in some compost before planting. Sweet Pea seeds should be sown directly where it is to grow.
• Soak seeds overnight then plant about an inch deep and 3-4 inches apart.
• Water thoroughly after planting, then restrict water until seeds germinate.
• Fertilize every two to four weeks, or work in a slow-release fertilizer at planting time. Sweet peas are heavy feeders.
• The Sweet Pea plant benefits from deadheading, but leave a few flowers at the end of theseason to seed for next year.

Sweet Pea Plant Care

• Plant Sweet Peas in an area that gets good air circulation.
• Water early in the day so the leaves are dry by nightfall; wet leaves are a magnet for fungus.
• Do not over fertilize or you’ll wind up with very deep green leaves but few flowers.
• Alternatively,organic fertilizers are also excellent for Sweet Peas. Additional mulching with composted manure will help retain soil moisture and provide nutrients for strong plant growth and flowering.
• If the blooms are not cut regularly, deadhead the plant as soon as flowers fade. Allowing the plant to produce seedpods will reduce overall flower production.
• Removing spent blooms will ensure more blooms.
• Do not grow sweet peas where other legumes are growing or grew last year.

Gifting Tip

Sweet Pea is the most popular gifting option world over, but don’t let this deter you into thinking that it will be a common gifting idea. Due to its availability in numerous colors and its ability to be styled into any kind of floral arrangement, it has immense scope for original, innovative arrangements every time.

Poppy

A Poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, Papaver somniferum produces edible seeds, and is also the source of the crude drug opium which contains powerful medicinal alkaloids such as morphine and has been used since ancient times as analgesic and narcotic medicinal and recreational drugs. Following the trench warfare which took place in the poppy fields of Flanders, during the 1st World War, red poppies have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime.

Description

Poppies are herbaceous annual, biennial or short-lived perennial plants. Some species are monocarpic, dying after flowering. Poppies can be over 4 feet tall with flowers up to six inches across. The flowers have 4 to 6 petals, many stamens forming a conspicuous whorl in the centre of the flower and an ovary consisting of from 2 to many fused carpels. The petals are showy, may be of almost any color and some have markings. The petals are crumpled in the bud and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. Poppies are in full bloom late spring to early summer.^[1] Most species secrete latex when injured. Bees use poppies as a pollen source. The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale, is dark blue, that of the field or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is dark green to grey.^[2] The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is mainly grown in eastern and southern Asia, and South Eastern Europe. It is believed that it originated in the Mediterranean region ^[3]

Poppies belong to the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae, which includes the following genera:

• Papaver – Papaver rhoeas, Papaver somniferum, Papaver orientale, Papaver nudicaule
• Eschscholzia – Eschscholzia californica
• Meconopsis – Meconopsis cambrica, Meconopsis napaulensis
• Stylophorum – celandine poppy
• Argemone – prickly poppy
• Romneya – matilija poppy and relatives
• Canbya – pygmy poppy
• Stylomecon – wind poppy
• Arctomecon – desert bearpaw poppy
• Hunnemannia – tulip poppy
• Dendromecon – tree poppy

 

Uses

The flowers of most poppy species are attractive and are widely cultivated as annual or perennial ornamental plants. This has resulted in a number of commercially important cultivars, such as the Shirley poppy, a cultivar of Papaver rhoeas and semi-double or double (flore plena) forms of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum and oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). Poppies of several other genera are also cultivated in gardens. A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is widely cultivated and its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It is used for production of dried latex and opium, the principal precursor of narcotic and analgesic opiates such as morphine, heroin and codeine. Poppy seeds are rich in oil, carbohydrates, calcium, and protein. Poppy oil is often used as cooking oil, salad dressing oil, or in products such as margarine. Poppy oil can also be added to spices for cakes, or breads. Poppy products are also used in different paints, varnishes, and some cosmetics (Jonsson and Krzymanski, 1989).

Symbolism

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep, peace, and death: Sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy in particular. In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead.^[4] Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize eternal sleep. This symbolism was evoked in the children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which a magical poppy field threatened to make the protagonists sleep forever.^[4]

A second interpretation of poppies in Classical mythology is that the bright scarlet colour signifies a promise of resurrection after death.^[5]

The poppy of wartime remembrance is Papaver rhoeas, the red-flowered corn poppy. This poppy is a common weed in Europe and is found in many locations; including Flanders, which is the setting of the famous poem “In Flanders Fields,” by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae. In Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, artificial poppies (plastic in Canada, paper in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Malta and New Zealand) are worn to commemorate those who died in war. This form of commemoration is associated with Remembrance Day, which falls on November 11. In Canada, Australia and the UK, poppies are often worn from the beginning of November through to the 11th, or Remembrance Sunday if that falls on a later date. In New Zealand and Australia, soldiers are commemorated on ANZAC day (April 25),^[6] although the poppy is still commonly worn around Remembrance Day. Wearing of poppies has been a custom since 1924 in the United States. Miss Moina Michael of Georgia is credited as the founder of the Memorial Poppy in the United States.^[7][8][9]

Medical uses

Ancient Egyptian doctors would have their patients eat seeds from a poppy to relieve pain. Poppy seeds contain small quantities of both morphine and codeine,^[10] which are pain-relieving drugs that are still used today. Poppy seeds and fixed oils can also be nonnarcotic because when they are harvested the morphine practically disappears from the seeds twenty days after the flower has opened (Jonsson and Krzymanski, 1989).

Other uses

The California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, is the state flower of California.

In Mexico, Grupo Modelo, the makers of Corona beer, used red poppy flowers in most of its advertising images until the 1960s.

A poppy flower is depicted on the reverse of the Macedonian 500 denars banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003.^[11] The poppy is also part of the coat of arms of the Republic of Macedonia.

The powerful symbolism of Papaver rhoeas has been borrowed by various advocacy campaigns, such as the White Poppy and Simon Topping‘s black poppy.

The girl’s given name “Poppy” is taken from the name of the flower.^{[citation needed]}

Poppies (called amapolas in Spanish) are commonly featured as the central flower in Puerto Rican weddings.^{[citation needed]}

Artificial poppies (called “Buddy Poppies”) are used in the veterans’ aid campaign by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which provides money to the veterans who assemble the poppies and various aid programs to veterans and their families.^[12]

Canada issued special quarters (25-cent coins) with a red poppy on the reverse in 2004, 2008 and 2010. The 2004 Canadian “poppy” quarter was the world’s first coloured circulation coin.^[13]

Calendula

Calendula officinalis
Cultivar

Calendula (common name: pot marigold) is a genus of plants that belong to the family Asteraceae. There are about 20 species of plants that come under the genus Calendula. Calendula is herbaceous, in the sense that the leaves and the stem above the level of the soil die at the end of the growing season.

Some species of calendula die in one year (annual). Some other species live more than two years (perennial). The genus is native to the region stretching eastward from Macaronesia (a group of islands in the North Atlantic around the Europe-North Africa region) to Iran, with the whole Mediterranean region in between.

Its common name marigold is likely to owe its origin to the Virgin Mary. Gardening connoisseurs consider the marigold to be one of the best flowers that can be grown in a garden because they are rugged and not at all finicky about where they grow. However, the ideal location for their growth is a sunny place with a soil rich in substances favorable to plant growth and that is well-drained.

Scientific classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Asterales

Family

Asteraceae

Tribe

Calenduleae

Genus

Calendula

Facts about Calendula

• Calendula (marigold) grows well in all seasons except in very coldest climates.
• Marigolds propagate by means of seeds.
• Different marigolds have different colors. African marigolds have a color different from the French marigolds.
• Pot marigolds are grown as herbs. Marigolds are thought to be edible and they are used to naturally color salads.
• Marigolds are eaten by certain species of insects and the flowers need to be protected if you are growing them.

Growing tips

• Sow seeds in spring. The seeds germinate easily in sunny and half-sunny locations.
• Maintain a distance of 10 inches between the seeds.
• The plants will begin flowering in June and will continue till late fall/ winter when the frost kills them.
• The seeds ripen in late summer and the scattering of seeds will result in a fresh brood of plants in the spring.

is widely used to treat skin problems, rashes – made into a cream or poultice, additional facts: Planet Botanic Calendula Facts

Calendula, easy to grow, self seeding, yellow to orange.

two yellow Calendula