prickly poppy
prickly poppy
WARNING Very sharp thistle-like prickly stems and leaves, so it’s best to wear very thick gloves when handling. White flowers with yellow center are up to 5 inches (13 cm) across and have 6, large, tissue-paper-like petals. From a distance, the flowers look like fried eggs. Stems contain white latex that you can apply to warts moles skin cancer to help eat them away. Considered poisonous when fresh, boiling recommended. The upper part of the plant is sometimes crushed and dried to make a mild sedative, contains a very minute amount of opium so it's a relaxant, helps sleep (all poppies do, even the red and orange ones). The seeds contain toxic alkaloids that sometimes cause glaucoma.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz