The Opium Poppy is famously the source of the drug opium and though naturalized through much of Europe and Asia, is thought to originate from the Mediterranean.
Not only is the Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum) the source of opium and other opiod drugs, but also used as a beautiful ornamental plant that can be found in gardens.
Commercially, Opium Poppy is grown widescale for the production of either Opium, Poppy Seeds for food use, or for the production of alkaloid drugs, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone.
Morphine is still the precursor to the other opioids, like codeine, fentanyl, methadone, hydromorphone, meperidine and oxycodone.
There are numerous varieties of the Opium Poppy, which are developed for various ornamental traits or for maximizing one of the commercial uses.
Many varieties, in fact, produce very little opiods. The poppies are beautiful, with either white, mauve, or red petals, and often dark blotches at the bases of the petals.
The leaves and stems are greyish-green, and exude a white latex when wounded. After the flowers mature, they are replaced by the seed capsules, from which Opium is harvested through lateral cuts which exude the latex.
The seedpods themselves are sometimes dried and used for dried flower arrangements.
As one might imagine, Opium and Opium Poppies have a very colorful and long history with human use. Despite the problems we have today with opioid abuse, you can thank Opium Poppies as being one of the first and still very relevant surgery drugs.
Photo by Kerry Hughes
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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.