poppy
Poppy is a plant and an herb.
botanical information:
Botanical name: Papaver spp., especially Papaver somniferum
Common name: opium, poppy, poppy seed
astrological correspondences:
Astrological planet: Moon 
magickal correspondences and uses:
Lunar spells: Poppy (as an herb) may be used in as an ingredient or substitute for magick spells and formulas related to lunar matters (compassion, dreams, family, fertility, gardening, healing, love, peace, promoting sleep, prophecy, prophetic (or psychic) dreams), psychic awareness, sleep, and spirituality). Be careful about substitutions for preparations that will be ingested or come in contact with the skin. These substitutions do not apply to medical uses. See the article on the Moon for a list of herbal substitutes for poppy.
Roman surgeons used an anathesia made from opium (morphine, numbing pain and limiting movement), henbane seeds (scopolamine, inducing sleep), and mandrake (slowing heart rate and deadened pain).
Some herbs may be poisonious under some conditions. Exercise appropriate care.
Wild gathering: Avoid wild gathering. Some plants are endangered species. Some plants can be toxic just by touch. Even experts can make deadly misidentifications of wild plants. Please grow your own herbs in your own goddess garden (or window boxes).
See also: herbs.
