A very imposing, sturdy plant with long, strong stems growing up to 5ft and large flower buds which break open to reveal huge 20cm (8in) flowers of startling red with black blotches.

Analgesic, antinarcotic, antitussive, aphrodisiac, sedative and tranquilizer (seeds); sudorific (petals)

Plants For A Future

Alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, linoleic acid, lysine, methionine, oleic acid, palmitic acid, serine, stearic acid, threonine, tyrosine, valine (seed); codeine, coptisine, morphine, nuciferine, oripavine, papaverine, phenylalanine, protopine, tetrahydropalmatine (plant); thebaine (root)

The seeds are used to treat insomnia, nervousness, pain, schizophrenia and withdrawal

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 656-657, CRC Press July 2002.