August Birth Flower
poppy
/päpē/
noun
:a herbaceous plant with showy flowers, milky sap, and rounded seed capsules. Many poppies contain alkaloids and are a source of drugs such as morphine and codeine
:any of a genus (Papaver of the family Papaveraceae, the poppy family) of chiefly annual or perennial herbs with milky juice, showy regular flowers, and capsular fruits including the opium poppy and several forms cultivated as ornamentals
Happy Birthday to everyone with an August birthday! Strength, moral integrity, remembrance, and infatuation represent the "Poppy," August's birth flower. Few flowers played such an important role in religion, mythology, politics, and medicine as the Poppy. Often found growing along roadside ditches and other humble places, these flowers have enchanted poets and helped doctors treat their patients for centuries. I love poppies for their papery appearance: they look like a craft project made from crepe paper or tissue paper. They are a beautiful nuisance because they reseed readily and can become weedy in your garden, so be aware of how many you plant or you may end up your very own field of poppies.
Poppy seed heads are actually my favorite- its like the flower that keeps on giving! Once poppies are done flowering they create these beautifully unique seed heads (pictured above) and you can use them for all things crafty and botanical. Here's a few ideas for using any kind of seed head:
- use as vase fillers
- create a dried bouquets or decoration for your home
- place in vase or bowl with or with out the stem
- use in a terrarium or fairy garden
Poppy seeds can also be used as a decor piece in your home, if you can collect enough seeds and place them in a small vessel or jar it can look like dark sand. If you love poppies and don't mind them taking over a space in your yard, you can also use the seed heads to collect the actual seeds inside and simply sprinkle out the seeds or crack the head open to replant more!
Poppies make a great cut flower and mix well with other wild flowers like thistle or golden rod. Because of their papery appearance, they press well for preserving. They look great in a frame and can keep their color even after drying. They are easy to grow and thrive in hard to grow places,
If I had a birthday in August I would ask for a lemon poppy seed cake, because how fitting is that? :) ... I might just ask for one anyways!
I hope everyone who calls August their Birthday month has had a Happy Happy Birthday!!
Till we chat next time,
Amy