Detail of decorative poppy seed pods from Henry Shaw’s Mausoleum at the Missouri Botanical Garden
We are slumberous poppies, Lords of the Lethe downs, Some awake and some asleep; Sleeping in our crowns - Leigh Hunt
The poppy, because of its long history of medicinal use, has come to represent sleep, forgetfulness and consolation. The compounds they contain were harvested and used in the ancient world as a sedative & pain-reliever.
Greek and Roman mythology associated the poppy with the dead and the gods of sleep: Somnus or Hypnos and his son Morpheus. They were placed as offerings to the dead and said to surround the entrance of the palace of sleep.
A fortune telling practice reported in Flora's pocket Dictionary (1870) would tell any young man or lady of the constancy of their lover. The petal of a poppy flower was placed in the left palm and quickly struck with the other hand. If the petal broke with an audible snap it meant your love would last. An intact petal meant your love would quickly fade.
Find out more about floriography and plant symbolism in the 19th Century by joining us for Sentimental Symbols at the Missouri Botanical Garden Saturday, June 15, 2024.
Sources: Flora's pocket dictionary : a lexicon of the language and sentiment of flowers; 1870; Biodiversity Heritage Library, The Artistic Language of Flowers; 1888; Biodiversity Heritage Library; The Language of Flowers; 1865; Biodiversity Heritage Library