Poppy Flower Meaning

Poppy flower meaning has a rich and fascinating history, with meanings that have evolved. This delicate and colorful flowering plant has been associated with everything from sleep and death to love and remembrance. But don’t be too quick to judge this bee-magnet blooms, because as it turns out, success, beauty, and spirituality can also be the meaning of the poppy flower. Let’s move to the next section to give you more insight.

What Is The Meaning Of Poppy Flower?

From fiery red to mysterious black and dreamy pink, the broad color of poppy flowers conveys a range of meanings and emotions. Here’s what each poppy flower’s shade signifies.

White Poppy Flower Meaning

White poppy flowers typically symbolize innocence, purity, and peace–similar to the peace lily, although there’s more to be revealed about this color variation of the poppy flower. Due to its color, the white poppy flower is also often used in weddings to represent the bride’s purity as well as a symbol of starting a new and fresh chapter in life.

Red Poppy Flower Meaning

The bright red poppy is perhaps the most popular variety, as it’s highly associated with sacrifice, honor, and remembrance. Yes, you read that right. Although typically red flowers are used to signify love and passion, the case is a little bit different when it comes to red poppies.

Blue Poppy Flower Meaning

Blue poppy flowers are a relatively rare and exotic variety that are highly sought-after for their unique color. They’re tied with deep sentiments such as calmness and tranquility. However, due to their scarcity, blue poppy flowers may also represent exclusivity and elitism, which is something that most people may not realize!

Yellow Poppy Flower Meaning

As bright as its color, the yellow poppy flower mostly indicates friendship, success, joy, and happiness. Thanks to some cultures that see yellow flowers as the attractor of wealth, yellow poppies are also believed to bring fortune and prosperity to those who cultivate them.

Purple Poppy Flower Meaning

A striking variety that is known for its deep and bold appearance, purple poppy flowers carry the most meaning out of any other color. They’re not only linked to creativity and imagination but also used to convey luxury and social status. Purple poppy flowers may also be used to represent the connection between physical and spiritual words. 

Pink Poppy Flower Meaning

Yes, pink and salmon-colored poppies are real plants. This exquisite variety of poppy is often correlated with grace, empathy, kindness, and unconditional love. Like roses and carnations, pink poppies can be used to convey a sense of tender emotions that come with falling in love! If you’re running out of chocolate to bring as a gift, a bouquet of pink poppies can serve just as sweet. Moreover, they are not going to melt and there is no need for a freezer.

Black Poppy Flower Meaning

In contrast to the pink poppy, the black poppy flower holds a completely different meaning. While the other colors of poppies are generally linked with positive sentiments, black poppies are typically associated with death, grief, and mourning. Furthermore, black poppies are sometimes used to raise awareness about substance abuse and addiction. Despite their somber connotations, black poppies can be a meaningful addition to a garden or memorial.

From Powerful Narcotic to Memorial Flower: What Do Poppies Symbolize?

Discussing the poppy flower’s meaning in public might cause you to be frowned upon. After all, poppies have been used to create drugs that induce hallucinations, sedation, and euphoria, and they were once one of the most valuable drugs to treat acute left ventricular failure. However, despite their associations with narcotics, poppy flowers have also come to signify important emotions and values. 

The most famous variation, the red poppy, has become a symbol to honor soldiers who have died in wars. This tradition began during World War I, when the battlefields of Flanders, Belgium, were covered by red poppies after the chaos of grueling war, explosives, and shattered buildings. This dark history then inspired a poem titled In Flanders Fields by the Canadian poet and physician who also fought in the First World War, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. It has been proven that McCrae also experienced the battle in Flanders Field himself.

The poppy flower’s meaning is by nature complex and multifaceted, depending on which color variety. With the wide array of meanings they carry, it’s not difficult to find poppy flowers that match your target occasion.

Is It Legal To Grow Poppy Flowers?

The legality status of growing poppy flowers varies depending on your country and jurisdiction. In many countries, it’s safe to grow poppy flowers for ornamental purposes, although in others, it might be strictly prohibited. In the United States, for example, it’s legal to grow poppy flowers for landscaping purposes, but it’s illegal to grow them to extract opium and produce illegal drugs. 

You should also check the type of poppy flower you’re interested in. Coming from the family Papaveraceae, poppies have different varieties to pick on. Although Papaver somniferum or the common poppy can be tricky and ‘shady’ to grow, you can pick safer varieties such as the blue Himalayan poppy (Papaver betonicifolium) and the oriental poppy (Papaver orientale), which are grown only for gardening purposes.

Moreover, it’s wise to check your local regulations before incorporating poppy flowers in your scenery to be safe.

What Would Happen If You Digest Poppy Flowers?

Not all varieties of poppy flowers are poisonous, for example, the blue Himalayan poppy. However, it’s wise not to consume poppies intended to be made as food, as they might contain alkaloids, such as morphine and codeine which can be fatal for your body. Ingesting a large number of poppies can result in symptoms like confusion, drowsiness, slowed breathing, and even unconsciousness and coma. 

Poppy Flower Meaning – A Finale

To wrap things up, poppy flowers are a unique plant with many-sided meanings. While their associations with narcotics can cause controversy, poppies also carry meaningful messages from remembrance, peace, love, and happiness, to death.