Corn poppy commonly grows wild in corn fields or is cultivated as an ornamental in gardens. It is lovely to see the delicate, bright red petals waft in the wind. Alas, it is a fleeting beauty – the pretty flowers only last a few days. Soon the petals fall away to reveal a bulging seed-pod.
The flowers of corn poppy have a long history of medicinal usage, especially for ailments in the elderly and children. Chiefly employed as a mild pain reliever and as a treatment for irritable coughs, it also helps to reduce nervous over-activity. Unlike the related opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) it is non-addictive.