Poppy tea is any herbal tea infusion brewed from poppy straw or seeds of several species of poppy. The species most commonly used for this purpose is Papaver somniferum, which produces opium as a natural defense against predators. In the live flower, opium is released when the surface of the bulb, called the seed pod, is scratched. For the purpose of the tea, dried pods are more commonly used than the pods of the live flower. The walls of the dried pods contain opiate alkaloids, primarily consisting of morphine.
The tea is consumed for its narcotic, analgesic, and anti-diarrheal effects. This tea is depicted both in Asian literature and Western literature, such as in opium dens. It can also be used in small amounts as an analgesic, anti-diarrhoeal, and sedative for many mammals and birds.
Read more about Poppy Tea: Legality, Chemical Composition, Preparation and Consumption, Effects, Side Effects and Tolerance, Deaths
Famous quotes containing the words poppy and/or tea:
“The young woman-smell
Of your poppy body
Rises to my brain as opium”
—Frank Marshall Davis (b. 1905)
“There is not enough exercise in this way of life. I try to make up by active gymnastics before I dress when I get up, by walking rapidly in the lower hall and the greenhouse after each meal for perhaps five to ten minutes, and a good hand rubbing before going to bed. I eat moderately; drink one cup of coffee at breakfast and one cup of tea at lunch and no other stimulant. My health is now, and usually, excellent.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)