[Arid_gardener] Re: Old World Red Poppies

[olin miller]

I called a number of offices at the AZ State Government and was not able to 
find anybody that could answer the question.  But maybe the more relevant 
question would be whether it is legal to bring the seeds not only into AZ 
but into the US.  There are a lot of laws about that that have to do with 
introduced noxious plants naturalizing and displacing our native plants.  As 
to opium poppies, I understand that while it may not be illegal to posess 
the seeds ("papaver somniferum) it is illegal to grow the poppies.

If thet are anthing like the red Flanders Field poppies, photo at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbake/295011132/
I also think it would be intersting ti grow themthink

Olin----- Original Message ----- From: <hapshonesty at hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 8:29 PM


> Lorraine
> 85719
> hapshonesty at hotmail.com
>
> Hi,
>
> I have a question about the legality of growing poppies in Arizona. My 
> family has a strain of old red poppies with edible seeds that originally 
> came from Poland. We have no idea what species they are. They don't look 
> like the pictures of opium poppies on google.
>
> I think they may be a cultivar of corn poppy. They get flowers that are 
> 4-6 inches across and are deep red with a purple center. They are not 
> doubled, but are extra ruffled and so loked double at first glance.
>
> I moved here about a year ago, and really miss the big red poppies we grew 
> up with. I want to try them here as a monsoon season flower. My mom 
> offered to send me some seeds, but then a friend suggested I look into the 
> laws so we don't get busted. :-( Does anybody know if it is okay to grow 
> them here? Thanks for your time.