If there’s one flower associated with “feeling no pain,” it has to be the iconic poppy. Since cavemen roamed the earth, this flashy flower has maintained its reputation for medicinal and narcotic applications—though modern appearances in muffins and salad dressings might feel a bit more familiar. Today’s Growing on the High Plains pierces the pod of the popular poppy, noting its unforgettable appearance as a memory eraser in The Wizard of Oz. Ironically, it’s also a symbol of remembrance of fallen soldiers, thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s haunting poem, “In Flanders Fields.”
Growing on the High Plains: Poppies—Part One
