Each year, in the coming weeks of November 11th, we see various displays of the iconic red poppy. We display poppies to honour those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. The poppy is beautiful, bold and elegant. Its bright red flower and jet black centre are a true Canadian symbol of honour. But besides that, do you know why it’s a poppy we display and not a daisy?

Canadians should value historical understanding alongside tradition, especially on a day of remembrance.

The History of The Poppy

The first connection to the poppy dates back to the 19th Century, during the Napoleonic War. A writer had noticed that blood-red poppies had started exploding all over a field where a battle was taking place, one that was otherwise bare and unnoticeable. Prior to WWI, few poppies actually grew in Flanders. However, during the attacks on that field during the war, the soil became rich in lime from the rubble, allowing ‘Papaver rhoeas’ (a species of flowering plant in the poppy family) to grow and flourish. Research discovered that disturbed soil triggered poppy seeds to germinate. As the soil recovered, poppies gradually disappeared.

Canadian doctor and Lieut-Col. John McCrae made the same connection nearly 100 years later, during the First World War, and wrote the famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. It was after that that the vividly red poppy became a recognized symbol for soldiers who had died in battle. However, it was not John McCrae who made the symbol wearable above our hearts – that came three years later, by an American, Moina Michael. She was working in New York City when she started wearing a poppy in memory of those who died in battle. At this time, Madame Guerin, a French woman who was visiting the United States, learned of the custom and brought the notion back home with her. It was on her return to France that she decided to hand-make poppies to raise money, at the time for children in war-torn areas. The Great War Veterans Association officially adopted the poppt as Canada's flower of remembrance in 1921.

Today we wear our poppies to remember those who fought for our country, our freedom and who died in battle, but it is also a symbol of representation for unity. By wearing a poppy, Canadians honour those who served and remember their sacrifices. Donations from the Poppy Campaign raise more than $14 million annually for the support of veterans and their families.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Nutritional Profile of The Poppy

Poppy petals can be toxic to some people and animals. However, many cuisines safely use poppy seeds. They also hold some natural health benefits you should all be aware of:

The edible poppy seed is slate blue or off-white, with a mild nutty flavour. Poppy seeds may be small (tiny, really) in size, but they make up for it with their high nutritional content. They are a high source of protein, dietary fibre and Omega 3and Omega 6 fatty acids. One Tbsp. of poppy seeds contain 1.6 grams of protein and 3.7 grams of fat, including ‘healthy’ fats, omega-3 and omega-6 (2.48g). Poppy seeds are also a good source of manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.