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In [[Mexico]], [[Grupo Modelo]], the makers of [[Corona]] [[beer]], used red poppy flowers in its advertising (almost any image it used had poppy flowers somewhere in the image) until the 1960s.
In [[Mexico]], [[Grupo Modelo]], the makers of [[Corona]] [[beer]], used red poppy flowers in its advertising (almost any image it used had poppy flowers somewhere in the image) until the 1960s.


A poppy flower is depicted on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia|Macedonian]] 500 [[FYROMian denar|denars]] banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003.<ref>[http://www.nbrm.gov.mk National Bank of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia]. FYROMian currency. Banknotes in circulation: [http://www.nbrm.gov.mk/default-en.asp?ItemID=F324B3844DB817418C74624BF37D1997 500 Denars] (1996 issue) & [http://www.nbrm.gov.mk/default-en.asp?ItemID=CD997426CC71604FBF10691BA17118A6 500 Denars] (2003 issue). – Retrieved on 30 March 2009.</ref>
A poppy flower is depicted on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonian]] 500 [[Macedonian denar|denars]] banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003.<ref>[http://www.nbrm.gov.mk National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia]. Macedonian currency. Banknotes in circulation: [http://www.nbrm.gov.mk/default-en.asp?ItemID=F324B3844DB817418C74624BF37D1997 500 Denars] (1996 issue) & [http://www.nbrm.gov.mk/default-en.asp?ItemID=CD997426CC71604FBF10691BA17118A6 500 Denars] (2003 issue). – Retrieved on 30 March 2009.</ref>


The powerful symbolism of ''Papaver rhoeas'' has been borrowed by various advocacy campaigns. These include the [[White Poppy]] and [[Simon Topping]]'s black poppy.The name Poppy was taken from the flower.
The powerful symbolism of ''Papaver rhoeas'' has been borrowed by various advocacy campaigns. These include the [[White Poppy]] and [[Simon Topping]]'s black poppy.The name Poppy was taken from the flower.

Revision as of 03:26, 29 September 2010

Poppies on Lake Geneva in Montreux.
Yellow or California poppy, in New Delhi.

A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants belonging to the poppy family, many grown in gardens for their colorful flowers.

Poppy flowers have 4 to 6 petals. Petals may be almost any color, and some have markings. Prior to blooming, the petals are crumpled in the bud, and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. A whorl of stamens is in the center of the flower.

The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale, is dark blue. The pollen of the field poppy or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is dark blue to grey. Bees will use poppies as a pollen source.

Poppies belong to several genera:

Uses

Plastic Remembrance Day poppies in Canada
Poppy (Canadian version) worn on the lapel

All species of poppies are attractive and most are cultivated as ornamental plants. A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy, (Papaver somniferum) is so widely used, for both drugs and food, that its world production is monitored by international agencies. It is grown for opium and opiates obtained from it, poppy seed for use in cooking and baking, poppyseed oil for both culinary and other uses, and as an ornamental garden plant.

Symbolism

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of both sleep and death: sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of their (commonly) blood-red color. In Greco-Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead.[1] Poppies are used as emblems on tombstones to symbolize eternal sleep. This aspect was used, fictionally, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to create magical poppy fields, dangerous because they caused those who passed through them to sleep forever.[1]

A second meaning for the depiction and use of poppies in Greco-Roman myths is the symbolism of the bright scarlet colour as signifying the promise of resurrection after death.[2] 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 Fields, the setting for the famous poem by Canadian surgeon and soldier, John McCrae, "In Flanders Fields". In the United States,[3][4] Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand artificial poppies (plastic in Canada, paper in the US[citation needed], UK, Australia and New Zealand) are worn to commemorate those who died in War. In the United States this is in conjunction with Veterans' Day, in Canada this is part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies, both falling on November 11, though generally poppies are worn from the beginning of November until that day. In New Zealand and Australia commemoration of the brave soldiers is celebrated on ANZAC day, April 25.[5]

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 its advertising (almost any image it used had poppy flowers somewhere in the image) until the 1960s.

A poppy flower is depicted on the reverse of the Macedonian 500 denars banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003.[6]

The powerful symbolism of Papaver rhoeas has been borrowed by various advocacy campaigns. These include the White Poppy and Simon Topping's black poppy.The name Poppy was taken from the flower.

Poppies (Amapolas in Spanish) are commonly featured as the central flower in Puerto Rican weddings.

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.[7]

Canada issued special quarters (25-cent coins), each with a red poppy on the reverse, in 2004 and 2008. The 2004 Canadian "poppy" quarter was the world's first coloured circulation coin.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b L. Frank Baum, Michael Patrick Hearn, The Annotated Wizard of Oz, p 173, ISBN 0-517-500868
  2. ^ Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, 24. 15 p 96, ISBN 0-14-001026-2
  3. ^ World Book; Inc (2003). The World Book dictionary. World Book .com. pp. 1622–. ISBN 9780716602996. Retrieved 18 August 2010. {{cite book}}: |author2= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ United States of America Congressional Record. Government Printing Office. pp. 10121–. GGKEY:8F7NFQJ525R. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  5. ^ Graham Seal (2004). Inventing Anzac: the digger and national mythology. Univ. of Queensland Press. pp. 105–. ISBN 9780702234477. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  6. ^ National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian currency. Banknotes in circulation: 500 Denars (1996 issue) & 500 Denars (2003 issue). – Retrieved on 30 March 2009.
  7. ^ Veterans of Foreign Wars Buddy Poppy Website
  8. ^ Canadian Poppy Coins