What do red poppies symbolize? We can answer with almost complete certainty that many of us have never asked this question in our lives. But the huge fiery “sea”, on which the wind creates scarlet waves, is a sight so beautiful that you can look at it endlessly. Among all peoples and at all times, this flower has been a multifaceted symbol. There are many legends and myths about it; it was dedicated to the gods and used in medicine. The red poppy is a symbol of what? What did it mean in antiquity, in the East, and in our time? It's time to find out about it.
Antiquity
We can say that in Ancient Rome and Hellas this flower was revered most of all; it is from there that several legends about its origin come from. According to one legend, Venus cried for a long time after the death of Adonis; nothing could calm her down. And every tear of hers turned into a poppy. It’s sad, of course, but the red poppy is a symbol of what else? According to another legend, the poppy was created by the god of sleep Hypnos in order to calm Demeter, whose daughter was kidnapped by Hades. Hypnos gave her a decoction of this flower to drink, and she was comforted. Even today, her statues are decorated with these scarlet flowers. At the same time, the poppy was also a symbol of fertility due to the good germination of seeds.
What does a picture with poppy flowers mean according to Feng Shui?
If a painting depicting a lot of poppies, a lot of bright color, is placed in an apartment, then this will attract great passion into the life of the owners.
A painting painted in soothing colors brings calm and peace to the owners. It will also promote mutual understanding and harmony in the family.
If family relationships need to be intensified, add a little activity and fire, then feel free to place a picture with an abundance of red. This picture enhances the energy of Qi, which brings about dramatic changes in mutual understanding.
The energy of creativity and novelty will be attracted by a flower, which in the picture will flaunt alone among the dense green foliage. Such a picture can be placed in the creativity sector, located in the western direction.
East
In Persian culture, the poppy is a symbol of happiness, eternal love, joy; the wild flower hinted at the desire for an intimate relationship. Buddhists were firmly convinced that the poppy appeared after the falling asleep Buddha touched the ground with his eyelashes. In China, the flower was associated with success, beauty, relaxation and distance from the hustle and bustle. However, it later became a symbol of available women and brothels. In the early 19th century, after the Opium War, smoking this drug became so popular that the flower became associated with evil and decay.
Medicinal properties
The healing properties of poppy have been known since ancient times. The juice and grains of the flower were used to temporarily give a person the opportunity to get rid of pain.
Nowadays, this flower is used to create medicines. The plant contains healthy proteins, vitamins, fats and microelements.
Medicines based on poppy have the following effects:
- relieve pain
- eliminate cramps, spasms,
- treat some cancers,
- reduce inflammatory processes,
- strengthen the body.
Unfortunately, the unique plant began to be used as a narcotic substance. In many countries, its cultivation has been banned.
As for the healing properties of poppy, they were known to people back in antiquity, and Theophrastus was one of the first to describe these properties. Hippocrates argued that poppy juice has a nourishing and strengthening effect.
Avicenna advised taking decoctions of poppy roots and seeds to treat headaches and ease digestion. He also noted that poppy is not only a good sleeping pill, but also has an analgesic and anthelmintic effect.
Traditional medicine quite widely uses poppy to create various drugs.
Thus, many painkillers, anticonvulsants, antitussives, antispasmodics and sleeping pills contain elements of this plant.
Mac is also excellent in treating diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, asthma), ulcers (stomach and duodenum), migraines, hypertension, angina pectoris and colitis.
In traditional medicine, absolutely all parts of the poppy are used. A decoction of the roots relieves headaches well, and a decoction of the seeds is recommended to drink to improve digestion. Compresses from crushed leaves are applied to bruises, tumors and joints. In addition, ground leaves are good helpers for getting rid of warts.
Poppy tincture helps overcome insomnia, calm the nervous system and relieve coughing spasms. This plant also fights stress and fatigue well, and decoctions from the seeds will relieve any pain (including toothache).
Red poppy - a symbol of what in the Middle Ages?
In its bloodthirsty and gloomy traditions, Christianity declared the poppy to be a sign that the Last Judgment would soon come. The flower, according to the beliefs of that time, recalled the terrible suffering of Christ, and was also a symbol of indifference and ignorance. On the day when the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place, churches were decorated with poppies, and children carried flowers and scattered petals during the procession. Next came the priest with the holy gifts. In the 16th century, a treatise by the physician Theodorus Jacobus appeared warning that the seeds of the flower and its other parts should not be consumed excessively.
Magic properties
In ancient times they believed that spirits lived in poppies. The flower was used for magical rituals, witchcraft, and fortune telling. Poppies were amulets against the evil eye and evil spirits. The grains of the flower were scattered during wedding ceremonies, in places where the woman in labor was with her child. Grains were scattered in the house so that the devilish forces would not get close to the owners.
A woman who could not get pregnant for several years put flower petals in the attic. They lay there for as many days as the couple had been unable to have children for years. Then the petals were burned.
With the help of flower seeds, spells were made for wealth and profit.
The poppy is widely known for its magical properties, as it symbolizes youth, fertility and feminine charm. Due to the fact that since ancient times this flower has also been a symbol of oblivion and sleep, it was given special significance in the interpretation of dreams.
In magical rituals, the poppy, which has white flowers, was mainly used. Its main use was love magic and love spells.
For this purpose, flower seeds were collected in the late evening (almost at night) and only during the waxing Moon. This had to be done with the left hand so that the seeds would end up in the right.
It was believed that if you carry such seeds in your pocket, then soon love will definitely knock on the door.
Poppy is also a very good amulet that wards off evil spirits, which is why the seeds (which were on the table on Christmas Eve) were sprinkled at home. In addition, this flower protected against witches and the evil eye. In the Czech Republic and Slovenia, they sprinkled poppy seeds in the corner where a newborn slept with his mother, and in the Slavs they poured seeds into the bride’s stocking.
According to legend, poppy seeds can protect people and animals from snakes; to do this, they sprinkled the house with poppy seeds or placed them on the windowsill. In addition, with the help of this plant they often tried to predict the future.
There are many ways to use the poppy as an amulet. For example, in order to see things in dreams, you need to put a piece of paper with a question in a dried poppy seed box and place it near the head of the head. And to attract wealth, such a box of seeds should be carried with you.
Scarlet flower today
And today the red poppy is a symbol of what? For example, to this day this flower is the emblem of the British Legion. Every year in the fall, artificial flowers are sold as a reminder of those who died in armed conflicts and two world wars. In Ukraine, for example, poppy is associated with fertility and endless open spaces. Petals were sprinkled on wedding loaves so that the newlyweds would have health and many children. Also in this country, the red poppy is a symbol of Victory; they have recently decided to use it at all official events.
Choosing a site for planting and care
Poppies love sun, so plant them in an open, sunny area. Sow the seeds in loose, sandy soil. After five years, it is recommended to transplant the flowers to another place. Since the roots grow greatly, they are divided for replanting.
The plant does not require special care. Water it so that the moisture does not stagnate. Overwatering causes the roots to rot. Diseases and harmful insects rarely damage the plant. If the flower has grown tall, secure it near a support so that it does not break.
Poppies fade very quickly, after which cut off the dried above-ground part of the flower.
Tattoo with a scarlet flower
Everyone knows that flowers depicted on the body are of great importance. What does the red poppy mean in this case? A tattoo with this flower has always been associated with death or sleep. And these two concepts are too close to each other, for example, lethargic sleep often duplicates the state of death, it is so difficult to distinguish them. This is all very strange, and people have been thinking about solving the mystery for decades.
Another meaning of such a pattern on the body is truth, devotion, fidelity. When deciding to decorate your body with poppy seeds, think about whether it’s worth it. No matter what meaning you put into the drawing yourself, there will always be some secrets and meanings unknown to us.
Feng Shui poppies, their meaning and properties
According to Feng Shui, poppies are considered magical plants. With their bright colors they attract positive energy and enhance it. According to teaching, flowers help a person achieve success in business, his business. If you contemplate them in solitude, it helps you make the right decision and brings a person into a calm, peaceful state.
But the main meaning of the flower is its beneficial effect on the sphere of love and relationships. They, like a magnet, attract true love to a person. They help you see and understand the real qualities of your chosen one.
Poppies are capable of influencing with their energy not only the creation and formation of love relationships. They help not to make mistakes in family life. Find the right way out of difficult situations. With their energy they increase the sense of responsibility and the sense of leadership. And this gives us the determination to take responsibility. Leads to improved relationships, mutual understanding, harmony.
According to Feng Shui, poppies harmonize not only love relationships, but also family relationships. In case of quarrels between children and parents, brothers and sisters, grandmothers and grandchildren, they promote reconciliation.
Another amazing property is that it attracts success in any business. He especially favors those who mind their own business and run their own business.
Symbolism is important in Feng Shui. Therefore, both living plants and images are used to make qualitative changes in one’s life.
If you use live plants, you need to know that they last no more than two days when cut. But during this time, with their strong energy they are able to influence the quality of a person’s life.
If possible, it is best to grow these flowers in a flower bed near the house. This will especially help businessmen and business people.
Flowering plants in a flowerbed provide us with a constant supply of beneficial, strong energy.
If living plants are placed near the bed, this will lead to the early birth of a child. It’s not for nothing that the goddess of fertility Demeter is depicted with a poppy in her hand.
How to find a unique souvenir - tips for choosing a painting
It’s hard to imagine a modern home without designer interior accessories – panels, figurines, decorative plates. They visually expand the room, making it more lived-in, comfortable and cozy. Such original additions can transform any room, giving it an attractive, extraordinary and spectacular look. And one of the most beautiful souvenirs will be an amber painting depicting bright poppies. How to choose such a work and what it means – read our article.
Mystical poppy
By the way, about the supernatural. Rare love divination is complete without self-seeding poppy . The easiest way is to collect the seeds of such a poppy in your right palm on the waxing moon at night and carry them in your pocket, thinking about your chosen one. You can not carry the grain, but scatter it across the field against the wind with the sentence:
This harmless homemade way to bewitch the groom only lasts for six months, and then the spell wears off! Therefore, girls, hurry up to tie your betrothed to you tightly during this time! Otherwise, you will be left with your nose. However, if you suddenly don’t like the candidate for your hand, then you won’t need to make a lapel.
What else is this wizard capable of?
The truly magical poppy flower is responsible not only for solving interpersonal problems, but also for attracting good luck according to Feng. Your career or business will turn your head with its lightning-fast successes, you just have to resort to the help of these fiery flowers. For those who run their own business, poppy is truly a godsend. It will help minimize risks, costs and save your finances for an important investment. Thus, the poppy will pave a direct path for its owner to prosperity and regular profit.
Another surprise for those who are seriously interested in poppies will be an interesting fact about them. Thanks to its expressive coloring, the poppy, like its image, has irrepressible leadership energy, which it shares with its owner. A person who keeps a poppy at home becomes strong, energetic and self-confident.
In addition, it will also give you communication skills. Feng Shui recommends it to those people whose self-esteem for one reason or another is low, and the person himself only goes with the flow, obeying the will of fate. Mac is capable of making its owner confident and courageous in a fairly short period of time, getting what he wants from life.
Poppy flower: meaning, description
Many gardeners and summer residents associate these flowers with drugs. In reality, everything is not quite like that.
It is forbidden to grow the poppy flower, or opium poppy. Its height is about a meter, the flowers are large (10-12 cm in diameter), white, pink, orange, red, purple, with a black-bluish spot at the base.
The seeds of this poppy are edible. Morphine and opium are obtained from the seed pods. In addition, there are many different types of ornamental poppies that do not have narcotic properties. All of them are divided into three groups: perennial, annual and biennial.
Poppy (flower): description
This plant is from the Poppy family. The entire genus has more than 100 species. From Latin the name is translated into Russian as “milk”. Why? The fact is that when the flower stem is cut, a white juice similar to milk is released.
The bush of the plant usually has a height of almost 90 cm, sometimes small, dwarf forms are also found. It has a hard, hairy stem. The leaves are pinnate, dissected.
Large flowers are single, among which there are both simple and double species. June is the month of poppy flowering, after which the flower stalks and then the leaves and stems die off.
In nature, perennial poppies are common in Asia, Europe and Australia.
Choosing a site for planting and care
The poppy flower loves a well-lit place, but slightly shaded areas are also not contraindicated for it. The soil is suitable: ordinary garden soil, but well drained. Rich in minerals and nutritious, flowers will like it even more. Poppies are unpretentious, frost-resistant, and can easily withstand periods of drought.
After the end of flowering time, when the leaves are already beginning to turn yellow, the above-ground part must be cut off. In this case, around mid-August, the leaves begin to re-grow. In a warm autumn, the plant may bloom again. And the leaves may turn green under the snow. In April they begin to bloom again.
Perennial poppies can be planted either individually or in mixed groups (in rockeries). Both flowers and capsules are widely used as cut flowers. For example, boxes are a good material for original dry winter bouquets.
Reproduction
The poppy flower is usually propagated by seeds. Sowing can be done both in spring and before winter, and in open ground. It is advisable to plant immediately in a permanent place of growth. If necessary, seedlings can be thinned out.
The roots of adult plants are quite long, so it is difficult to replant them, as damage to the root system is possible.
Oriental poppy can also be propagated by division, as it has root shoots. However, this procedure must be carried out in the summer immediately after flowering, during dormancy.
The most common garden flowers are poppies. Kinds
In floriculture, the most widely used and widespread are oriental poppy and bract. They are the brightest and most beautiful.
The homeland of the oriental poppy (P. orientale) is the Caucasus. This perennial has thick, erect stems. Their height is up to 100 cm.
The pinnately dissected basal leaves, collected in a rosette, are dark green (length - up to 30 cm). Its stems, leaves, and buds are pubescent and shaggy.
Large bright red flowers are up to 14 cm in diameter. At the very base of the petals there is a black square spot.
The type of bract poppy (P. bracteatum) is also native to the Caucasus. Its height reaches 140 cm. The stem is erect, the flowers are bright, crimson-red (diameter 16 cm).
And at the very base of the petals there is an elongated black spot. It blooms quite profusely, starting in late May and ending in early June.
Different varieties of this species differ in bush height, color and size of flowers. Both species are perennial flowers (poppies).
Perennial flowers: care
Perennials are of three types: alpine, oriental and holostem. The most widespread among gardeners, as noted above, are varieties of oriental species.
Perennial poppies do not require shelter for the winter; they are light-loving, winter-hardy, and tolerate drought well. There is a minor whim - stagnation of water is undesirable.
The poppy flower is very responsive to organic and mineral fertilizers.
This species can be propagated vegetatively by carefully separating the side rosettes in spring or autumn. Without transplantation, poppies grow for about 7 years.
Flowers look great in a group with other plants (among daisies, bells, etc.). Dwarf varieties are great for today's fashionable alpine slides.
Annuals
If there are annual poppies on the site, how is care done? These include the self-sowing plant. These poppies come in simple and double varieties. Their colors vary from white to red, and there are also white ones with a border around the edges of the petals. Garden poppy is also good and interesting. Its flowers (double varieties) resemble peonies.
Annual poppies can be sown in early spring, after the snow has melted. They produce abundant self-seeding, so it is enough to sow them just once.
Bouquets with poppies are a wonderful decoration for any room, but there is one drawback - they don’t last long after being cut.
There is a little secret that prolongs the life of flowers. They need to be cut off in the morning, and only the burst buds. Then the cut site must be held over the fire for several seconds, and then immediately placed in water. You need to add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to it. The bouquet will last longer.
Source: pr-perevod.ru