Tenzin Metok, the person behind the Medicine Buddha app, tells us all about the Himalayan blue poppy.
In 1913, on the banks of the swirling Tsangpo river in Eastern Tibet where the blue grey waters of the Himalayan glaciers danced with the muddied deluge of a recent rainfall, a mysterious flower was plucked under the shade of willows.
The flower, larger and more exotic than any other poppy flower and in striking blue, was then pressed between the pages of a notebook by an enthralled British officer, explorer and butterfly collector Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey. The flower was named Meconpsis Baileyi in his honour.
Of the 79 species of Meconpsis, the Meconpsis befonicigolia is most commonly known as the Himalayan blue poppy as a nod to its native home in the Himalayan region of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and North East India.
What does it look like?
The flower grows up to one metre and has a rosette of toothed leaves. The large petals can range from pale sky blue to deep violet. It is said that its purity deteriorates the farther away it is from its homeland.
The flower is around six inches wide, with a prominent yellow centre. It is not just the notable blue hue that makes the flower so unique. Its papery texture and golden yellow centre add to its allure.
Despite being so striking, these flowers were rare to spot. They were spotted again in 1922 during the failed attempt to ascend Mount Everest by British mountaineer George Mallory.
Inspired by Bailey, the British botanist, adventurer and spy Frank Kingdon-Ward embarked on 25 plant hunting expeditions over 50 years across the most remote areas of the Himalayas and China.
In particular, he considered the zone between Eastern Tibet and Anunrachal Pradesh in India, deep in the valleys of Pemako, as ‘a plantsman’s paradise.’
Nine years after Bailey, Kingdon-Ward was finally able to collect the seeds of the Himalayan blue poppy.
Kingdon-Ward described the flower as a blue diamond with a blue purer and more intense than any other.
Shortly after, the flowers were introduced to the British public at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Spring Show of 1926, creating an immediate sensation with its ethereal beauty.
Cultivating the blue poppy
Early attempts to cultivate the Himalayan blue poppy often met with disappointment because the plant was deemed fussy. It struggled in dry or alkaline soils, often dying out quickly.
Some gardeners in the UK, particularly those in cooler, wetter regions with acidic soil like Scotland and the north of England, found success in growing them. Perhaps this was because the location mirrored the Himalayan conditions that the Himalayan blue poppy was acclimatised for.
The plant typically grows at altitudes between 3,500 and 4,500 meters where the air is thin, and the weather conditions are harsh. For this reason, the Himalayan Blue Poppy has been chosen as Bhutan’s national flower, as a symbol of purity, spirituality, and peace.
Buddhists across the Himalayan region see the flower as a metaphor of spiritual practice that requires dedication and perseverance. When the flower blooms, it is a manifestation and marker of its own enlightenment.
Traditional and medical use
Whilst the Himalayan blue poppy is primarily celebrated for its ornamental beauty, it also has unique traditional and potential medical uses, such as in Tibetan Medicine. Several species of Meconopsis are known as “LvRongHao” and considered one of the “Four Divine Herbs.”
Tibetan Medicine doctors sometimes prescribe plant based dietary supplements as part of their patient’s course of healing. The flowers are used to clear heat, reduce swelling, and alleviate pain such as headaches.
Specific applications include treating conditions like pneumonia, hepatitis, headaches, and edema (fluid retention). Because of the presence of alkaloids with potential narcotic effects, self-medication with Himalayan blue poppies is strongly discouraged.
Research comparing the yellow-flowered Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis integrifolia) and blue-flowered Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia) suggests that both possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The yellow-flowered variety is especially efficient at modulating inflammatory metabolism.
This research has been significant in validating the traditional use of Meconopsis in treating inflammatory conditions. It also highlights the possibility of the blue variety being swapped with the yellow variety in clinical settings.
This is particularly useful as the blue variety is rarer and thus, there is a case for the Himalayan blue poppy’s sustainable cultivation and biodiversity conservation.
The Himalayan blue poppy, whilst still considered by some to be a challenging plant, has become sought-after and cherished in many gardens, culminating with the reward of its rare blooms.
The Himalayan blue poppy’s ability to endure tough conditions and yet blossom with striking beauty truly reflects the aspirational resilience and natural harmony of the Himalayan medicine, way of life and its people.
References
(Cheng, P et al. Comparative Evaluation of the Chemical Components and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Yellow- and Blue-Flowered Meconopsis Species: M. integrifolia and M. betonicifolia. Metabolites, 2024)
Lead image: Timothy K Hamilton CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0
